By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan; former President Muhammadu Buhari; Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara; and activist, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), were among the most searched personalities in Nigeria in 2025.
This is according to Google’s Year in Search report released on Thursday, December 4, which provides insight into how Nigerians used the internet this year to follow major events and personalities, track cultural trends, engage with entertainment, and process moments of national significance.
The report shows that Nigerians used the platform to follow major political developments, honour public figures, keep up with viral slang, and explore new food and lifestyle trends.
Other personalities on the top 10 Google search in Nigeria in 2025 are Eberechi Eze, Chika Ike, Mr Eazi, Kemi Adetiba, Ajibola Elizabeth, Hilda Baci, and Priscilla Ojo.
Senator Natasha topped the chart as the most searched Nigerian personality in 2025, which was triggered by her six-month suspension from the Senate. Her emergence on the chart highlights growing public interest in political debates and leadership developments.
According to the report, Natasha Akpoti drew “unprecedented public interest” as Nigerians followed developments around her rising political profile.
Former President Buhari’s death was one of the triggers of the largest spikes in search activity in the years, as Nigerians revisited his political career, presidency, and legacy.
Other notable deaths that drew the attention of Nigerians included those of Super Eagles legend Peter Rufai, Pope Francis, and international footballer, Diogo Jota.
Global affairs and international events also drew widespread attention in 2025, as the Israel–Iran conflict and the United States elections ranked among the top trending news topics searched by Nigerians.
On technology-related searches, the newly released iPhone 17 topped device-related searches, while budget and mid-range options such as the Tecno Pop 10, Redmi 14C, Tecno Spark 40, and Infinix Note 50 Pro were also highly sought after.
Among the entertainment trends that shaped the national mood was the gospel hit, ‘Oluwatosin,’ (Jesus Is Enough) by Tkeyz featuring Steve Hills, which emerged as the most searched song. It was followed by Fido’s ‘Joy Is Coming’ and Davido and Omah Lay’s collaboration, ‘With You.’
In Nollywood, director Kemi Adetiba was among the most searched personalities, driven by the popularity of her series, ‘To Kill a Monkey,’ which emerged as the most searched local show of the year.
International shows like Squid Game, Wednesday, and Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, also captured strong interest.
Nigerians also explored Google to understand viral trends, internet culture, and slang. The question “What is Labubu?” topped search queries, as the viral toy sensation, Labubu, became a nationwide sensation.
Searches for the meanings of trending words such as Achalugo, Kelebu, Sope Purr, Ozempic, and nepo baby dominated the public’s interest and showed a quest to decode and catch up with fast-moving slang and social media references.
Among the top searched food and lifestyle interests were recipes for chin-chin, ginger shots, pornstar martini, sausage rolls, lasagna, Chinese rice, and asun rice, reflecting an adventurous and globally influenced palate.
Communications and Public Affairs Manager for Google West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, commenting on the findings, 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.”
