According to the National Bureau of Statistics’ (NBS) Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey 2024, between March 2023 and April 2024, more than 25 million phone thefts were reported.

During the reference period, an estimated 17,965,741 persons had their phones stolen, according to the NBS research, Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey 2024.

Seven out of ten stolen phones occurred at home or in public, according to data on phone theft, a prevalent individual crime in the nation. Of those who reported the theft to the police, just 11.7% were satisfied with their reaction.

Over 90% of victims of phone theft chose not to notify the police for a variety of reasons, while less than 10% of victims reported the incident to the authorities.

The survey stated, in part, that “at the individual level, 21.4% of Nigerians reported being victims of crime, and the most common crime was phone theft 13.8%.”