Former President Muhammadu Buhari, Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the viral collectible toy Labubu dominated Nigeria’s search trends in 2025, according to Google’s Year in Search report released on Thursday.
The annual report offers a window into the events, personalities, and cultural moments that captured the nation’s attention throughout the year.
The passing of former President Buhari triggered one of the biggest search surges of 2025, as Nigerians revisited key moments of his life, political career, and presidential legacy. Other high-profile deaths—including those of Super Eagles legend Peter Rufai, Pope Francis, and international footballer Diogo Jota—also drew widespread online mourning and reflection.
Politics and global events significantly shaped search behaviour. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan emerged as the most searched Nigerian figure, reflecting the public’s growing curiosity about her rising political influence. Google noted that she generated “unprecedented public interest” as Nigerians followed developments surrounding her career and national impact.
On the global stage, the Israel–Iran conflict and the U.S. elections ranked among the most searched news topics, illustrating Nigerians’ engagement with international affairs.
Technology remained a major driver of curiosity. The iPhone 17 topped gadget-related searches, while budget-friendly smartphones such as the Tecno Pop 10, Redmi 14C, Tecno Spark 40, and Infinix Note 50 Pro secured strong interest—showcasing the nation’s appetite for both premium devices and affordable tech options.
Entertainment trends shaped the cultural landscape as well. Tkeyz’s gospel hit Oluwatosin (Jesus Is Enough) featuring Steve Hills was the year’s most searched song, followed by Joy Is Coming by Fido and With You, a collaboration between Davido and Omah Lay.
In Nollywood, director Kemi Adetiba captured national attention thanks to her series To Kill a Monkey, which emerged as Nigeria’s most searched local show of the year. International titles such as Squid Game, Wednesday, and Bon Appétit, Your Majesty also maintained strong popularity.
Viral trends and internet culture played a huge role in search behaviour. The query “What is Labubu?” topped the list as the toy craze swept across the country. Nigerians also sought to decode trending expressions like Achalugo, Kelebu, Sope Purr, Ozempic, and nepo baby, reflecting the rapid evolution of slang and social media language.
Food and lifestyle searches revealed a diverse and adventurous culinary curiosity, with recipes ranging from chinchin and ginger shots to pornstar martinis, sausage rolls, lasagne, Chinese rice, and asun rice topping the list.
Reflecting on the findings, Google West Africa’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, said: “The 2025 Year in Search is a vibrant reflection of what Nigerians paid attention to. From major headlines and global conflicts to new slang and cooking trends, Nigerians used Search to explore the world around them.”
Google described the overall trends 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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