Caller identification app Truecaller achieves 100 million monthly active users in the Middle East and Africa region, with Nigeria emerging as one of its prominent markets
Truecaller Expands in MEA Region Amidst Data Protection Investigation in Nigeria
Truecaller, the popular mobile app that helps users identify unknown calls, has continued to grow in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, despite an ongoing investigation by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) over alleged data breaches.
As of August 2025, Truecaller has reached 100 million monthly active users in the MEA region. The app, which has been downloaded over a billion times since its launch in 2009, serves over 450 million active users globally and blocked nearly 56 billion unwanted calls in 2024 alone.
Nigeria, one of Truecaller's largest markets in the MEA region, is home to between 20% and 45% of the app's usage on connected smartphones. The company reported an additional 15.5 million new users in 2025 alone, contributing to its global user base of over 450 million.
Truecaller's CEO, Rishit Jhunjhunwala, attributes the strong performance to rising smartphone and mobile data adoption across the MEA region. He also mentioned that the company is scaling operations and partnerships to consolidate its position in the region.
The NDPC's investigation focuses on whether Truecaller's operations comply with national privacy laws in Nigeria. This comes as the commission has been enforcing the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) and its General Application and Implementation Directive (NDP Act-GAID), which provides clear rules for lawful data processing, cross-border data transfers, and grievance resolution.
The NDPC's approach is remediation-first, requiring companies found in breach to document their data practices, address violations, and undergo compliance monitoring for a period ranging from six months to a year. The full implementation of the directive is set for September 2025, with fee-related provisions taking effect in January 2026.
The NDP Act-GAID also introduced the Standard Notice to Address Grievance (SNAG), enabling individuals to seek remedies directly from companies without going through the commission first. This directive aims to streamline the grievance resolution process and promote transparency in data handling practices.
Truecaller's growth in the MEA region is not limited to Nigeria. The app also has significant penetration in countries such as Morocco, where usage among connected smartphones is reportedly in the range of 20-25%. This reflects Truecaller’s strong adoption in key MEA markets, although exact country-specific percentage ranges vary and detailed current figures for all MEA countries are not publicly specified.
With year-on-year growth of 19%, Truecaller shows no signs of slowing down in the MEA region. As the company continues to expand its operations and partnerships, it will be interesting to see how it navigates the evolving data protection landscape in Nigeria and across the region.
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