TheCable

A global management consulting firm, AT Kearney, has declared Nigeria the second country with the highest number of citizens who frequently use the Internet.

The study surveyed 10,000 people who use the Internet at least once a week, across 10 Internet-connected nations to include, United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa, and Nigeria, with 1,000 users from each country.

The respondents consisted more of the young than old, and had 6,400 aged 45 or younger, with 37 per cent of the Nigerian users being on the Internet all day long, while 29 per cent were online at least once in every hour.

Brazil, China and Nigeria are the only countries in the survey where pop-up ads proved effective, as Internet users from these countries clicked on pop-up adverts more than any other country in the survey.

In Nigeria, 89 per cent of Internet users come online due to their cravings for interpersonal relation with friends, families and business associates.

According to the study, democracy is one of the reasons why the leading countries in the survey led other countries, with the survey saying, “Social networks have enabled a degree of democratisation”.

In China, Nigeria, and India, more than 85 per cent of respondents say that the ability to express their opinions is a key reason for being online.

Aside social networking, other things found to keep Nigerians online are entertainment, shopping and other transactional activities.

Brazil led the survey with 51 per cent of its Internet users staying online all day long and another 20 per cent using the Internets at 10 times a day.

Nearly 100 million Brazilians used the Internet in 2013, spurring a growing community of online freedom activists.