16 million people in Nigeria visit Facebook every month and do so via mobile devices, according to the social network.

In a statement the network says 7.2 million people visit the site daily, with 7 million on mobile.

During the past five years, the global Facebook community has more than doubled in size, and its community in Nigeria continues to grow, the company has said.

This week the social network engaged with SMEs from Ghana and Nigeria as part of its focus on entrepreneurship in West Africa. According to Facebook, 54% of people on Facebook in Nigeria are connected to a small or medium business.

"We have made amazing progress over the past year. We're only 1% done in Nigeria and inspired to do even more in this fast-moving, mobile first country," said Nicola Mendelsohn, Vice President, EMEA, at Facebook.

Nunu Ntshingila, Head of Africa for Facebook, said: "This is the year we deepen our partnerships with Nigerian businesses. We're committed to Nigeria, and during this visit we shared insights with our business and agency partners on how to deliver personalised marketing, at scale, where people are – on their mobile phone. We want to make sure Nigeria - its people, its agencies and its businesses - realise the opportunity that technology and mobile bring."

Ntshingila continued: "We know the mobile platform people use the most in Nigeria is Facebook and up to 77% of Nigerians on Facebook use their mobile device to discover new products and services. Nigerians are sophisticated mobile users and this sophistication is increasing fast – people are ahead of businesses, and we're here to help businesses create mobile-first solutions to grow their business."

Facebook also hosted a dinner for women leaders in Nigeria where Mendelsohn and Ntshingila spoke about entrepreneurism and technology can drive economies and create jobs.

In early December Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was believed to have distanced himself from a controversial social media bill, which is understood to be still under consideration by the country's Senate, and proposes a two-year imprisonment term and/or a NGN2m fine for anyone found guilty of making false remarks on social media, specifically Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.