Almost 47 per cent of Nigeria’s Gen Z population says they would rather hang out with people online than in real life. That is according to a study by New York-based Boss Beauties.

As per the research, it was determined that seven in 10 Nigerians between the ages of 16 and 25 support their school teaching them virtually and digitally, where many of them spend their time when not in class.

Among the seven countries surveyed, the study also shows that Nigerian Gen Z are most likely to use Web3 for decentralised finance, such as cryptocurrency, in which 44 per cent of boys are most likely to explore web3 compared to 29 per cent of girls.

In contrast, 29 per cent of the Nigerian Gen Z girls population are most likely to engage in virtual communities and networking activities compared to just 16 per cent of boys.

Web3 is a fast-revolving World Wide Web concept built in the cloud and on blockchain technologies which enable users to connect with decentralized apps, including online gaming, virtual communities, cryptocurrency platforms, and the NFT marketplace.

Also, the survey found that 68 per cent, over two-thirds of Gen Z in Nigeria, had wished they were taught more about web3 in school, while less than 42 per cent of Nigerian parents and caregivers responded yes to discussing with their children about web3.

This figure shows the need for policymakers, government agencies and private institutions to come together to enhance the new digital era among children and parents, as the era is expected to grow more rapidly in the coming years.

In other findings, 68 per cent of Nigeria’s Gen Z population want more access to credible information about web3, and 49 per cent of the same category have met people online pretending to be someone else, the highest among the surveyed countries.

The survey was conducted between November and December last year among a total of 3,869 people between the age of 16 and 24 across the world, consisting of seven countries, including Nigeria (18%), the United States (28%) and the UK (23%).

Eleven per cent of the Gen Z-ers surveyed are from Singapore, nine per cent from Brazil, six per cent from India and five per cent from the United Arab Emirates. The rest were prospective parents or wardens aged 25 and above.