Nigerians stick with ChatGPT as Americans move to Claude

In the United States, ChatGPT recorded a 295% surge in uninstalls after OpenAI signed a deal with the Department of Defense, according to Sensor Tower. But in Nigeria, the reaction has been different. 

As of Wednesday, March 4, ChatGPT remains the No. 1 free app on Nigeria’s Apple App Store, while Claude ranks 43rd.

The controversy began when OpenAI accepted a reported $200 billion Pentagon contract and Anthropic rejected a similar deal, raising concerns about surveillance and autonomous weapons.

OpenAI’s decision drew criticism in the U.S., where debate over AI, surveillance, and military use intensified.

American users responded by uninstalling ChatGPT and downloading Claude. Claude also introduced a feature that allows users to move their data from ChatGPT. For the first time, Claude’s daily U.S. downloads surpassed those of ChatGPT. One-star reviews for ChatGPT increased sharply, while five-star reviews dropped by 50%.

Sam Altman held a public town hall where questions focused on surveillance and automated weapons were asked. Online campaigns followed. 

On Instagram, an account encouraging users to quit ChatGPT gained thousands of followers. On Reddit, posts calling for users to delete the app received tens of thousands of upvotes. Claude also rose to the No. 1 free iPhone app in several countries, including Belgium, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, and Switzerland.

Nigeria has not mirrored that shift. ChatGPT’s ranking on the Nigerian App Store remains unchanged, and Claude has not seen a comparable surge.

One reason may be distance. The Pentagon deal is viewed as a U.S. matter. For many Nigerians, ChatGPT is a work and study tool, not a defense platform.

Adoption data supports this. A report by Google and Ipsos found that 88% of Nigerian adults have used an AI chatbot, compared to a global average of 62%. Many use it to understand complex topics, create content, write code, and support business tasks. The report also noted that 93% of surveyed Nigerian companies using AI apply it to improve operations.

Media coverage may also play a role. The dispute between U.S. officials and AI firms has received limited attention in Nigeria. Local media focus has remained on other international issues.

Nigerian users have shown the ability to organize boycotts in the past, including against celebrities such as Naira Marley and platforms like PayPal. In this case, however, usage patterns suggest that performance matters more than corporate politics.

Some Nigerian tech users are exploring Claude for its writing style and coding tools. But the shift has not altered rankings. For many users, the decision is based on function, not the political stance of the company behind the software.

Anthropic has begun expanding its global footprint. In March 2026, it signed a memorandum of understanding with Rwanda and continues to deepen ties with Google Cloud. If it positions itself as a privacy-focused alternative, it may appeal to governments and enterprises concerned about data control.

For now, global AI politics are not playing out evenly across markets. In the United States, users reacted quickly to the Pentagon deal. In Nigeria, ChatGPT remains dominant.

Last updated: March 4, 2026