Former President Muhammadu Buhari, Kogi Central senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the viral toy sensation, Labubu, dominated Google searches in Nigeria in 2025,
This is according to Google’s Year in Search report released on Thursday.
The annual report highlights the major events, cultural moments, and conversations that shaped Nigerians’ online behaviour throughout the year.
The passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari generated one of the biggest surges in search activity, as many Nigerians looked back on his political journey, presidency and legacy.
The deaths of other prominent figures including Super Eagles legend Peter Rufai, Pope Francis and football star Diogo Jota also drew widespread attention, marking a year of significant global and local losses.
In Politics, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan stood out as the most searched Nigerian personality of 2025, driven by increasing public interest in her political rise and outspoken leadership style.
Google noted that she attracted “unprecedented public interest” as Nigerians closely followed debates and events surrounding her political activities.
International affairs also remained top of mind, with the Israel–Iran conflict and the U.S. elections ranking high among news-related searches.
However, technology continued to be a major search driver, with the newly released iPhone 17 being the most searched gadget of the year.
However, Nigerians also showed strong interest in budget-friendly smartphones like the Tecno Pop 10, Redmi 14C, Tecno Spark 40, and Infinix Note 50 Pro, highlighting the country’s diverse tech preferences.
In music, Oluwatosin (Jesus Is Enough) by Tkeyz featuring Steve Hills led song-related searches, followed by Fido’s Joy Is Coming and Davido & Omah Lay’s collaboration With You.
On the film and TV scene, Nollywood director Kemi Adetiba ranked among the most searched personalities, thanks to the popularity of her series To Kill a Monkey, which emerged as Nigeria’s most searched local show.
International series such as Squid Game, Wednesday and Bon Appétit, Your Majesty also captivated Nigerian audiences.
Moreover, the mysterious toy figure Labubu became a nationwide sensation, prompting millions to ask: “What is Labubu?” which makes it the year’s most asked question on Google.
Nigerians were also curious about the meanings of trending slang and online expressions such as Achalugo, Kelebu, Sope Purr, Ozempic, and nepo baby.
Food-related searches showed a mix of local and international tastes, with users frequently looking up recipes for chinchin, ginger shots, pornstar martini, sausage rolls, lasagne, Chinese rice, and asun rice.
Reflecting on the trends, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa, described the 2025 search patterns as “a vibrant reflection of what Nigerians paid attention to.”
He added: “From global conflicts and major headlines to new slang and food trends, Nigerians used Search to understand and explore the world around them.”
Google summed up the year’s findings as “a vibrant, unfiltered mirror of our collective attention,” capturing how Nigerians interacted with news, culture, technology, and entertainment throughout 2025.
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