By 
According to data based on the VPN Adoption Index by Atlas VPN, Virtual Private Network (VPN) downloads sky-rocketed to 616 million in the first half of 2021 from 85 selected countries including Nigeria where a Twitter ban in June 2021 and a perceived aggression against social media by the authorities has fueled download of VPNs by a significant percentage of the population.
In 2020, the number of downloads globally stood at 277 million and jumped with about 339 million to 616 million in 2021.
The VPN Adoption Index created by the Atlas VPN research aims to provide a clear overview of how Virtual Private Network services are being adopted worldwide.
VPN adoption refers to the percentage of the country’s population that downloaded VPN applications throughout the specified period.
According to the Atlas VPN research team, “VPN usage varies widely around the world. Countries with internet restrictions ban social media platforms, websites, applications and employ numerous other censorship tools. Users turn to VPNs to avoid these restrictions. Others use VPNs to access geo-blocked streaming services.
“Also, many people connect to a VPN to ensure their privacy and security online. In 2020, people from 85 selected countries downloaded VPN applications over 277 million times. In H1 2021, the number reaches 616 million”.
VPN adoption rate underscores growing resentment against authorities in Nigeria
With a population of over 206 million, Nigeria is ranked No. 73 and recorded a jump of VPN downloads from 3,351,521 (1.63% of the population) in H! 2020 to 5,440,695 in H1 2021 (2.64% of the population).
While it may not be among the top 10 or 50 because of its huge population compared to those of the UAE or Qatar, Nigeria’s adoption rate significantly underscores an increasing resentment by a huge population of its online community of perceived government’s restrictions.
To see the full VPN usage by country list, please click here.
RELATED
Nigerians Turn To VPNs To Bypass Government Twitter Ban
Nigeria Gives Condition To Lift Twitter Ban
Arab countries top VPN adoption table
Just like the previous year, most of the countries on the top 10 list (7 out of 10) are Arab countries. The reason behind the high adoption rates remains the same — governments in Arab countries tend to employs some of the most stringent internet restrictions globally.
ISPs (internet service providers) in most Arab nations prohibit any information that violates Islam’s moral principles, with pornographic websites being the primary target. Furthermore, ISPs restrict politically sensitive topics, particularly those that criticize the government.
VPN Adoption in India explodes
Prior to 2021, the VPN penetration rate in India hovered around 3%, which is near the bottom of the list. Yet, by far, the most significant growth in the number of downloads in H1 2021 was in India, where VPN installs exploded to a staggering 348.7 million, representing a growth of 671% over 2020.
Edward Garb, a cybersecurity researcher at Atlas VPN, explains the findings:
“The analysis reveals that the main factor when it comes to the countries’ VPN adoption is how strict are the internet restrictions employed by the government.
These restrictions often go against one of the main positive aspects of the internet – the freedom to express your opinion, to be heard, and to pull global attention to issues that might otherwise be hidden by the countries’ officials“To see the full report, please click here.
