The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) has expressed concern over the slow adoption of Nigeria’s country code top-level domain, .ng, warning that the trend could weaken efforts to strengthen the nation’s digital identity and online sovereignty.
Speaking at the 2026 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D), Akinsola Adesanya, NIRA President, represented by Seyi Onasanya, said Nigeria’s domain name penetration remains far below its potential despite more than two decades of managing the .ng registry.
According to him, the number of registered .ng domain names is disproportionately low when compared to Nigeria’s estimated population of 240 million people and its status as Africa’s largest economy.
“Domain adoption in Nigeria remains relatively low compared to the size and potential of our population and economy,” he said.
Adesanya revealed that Nigeria currently records only about one .ng domain name for every 1,000 citizens, a figure he described as extremely low and indicative of the need for greater awareness and adoption of the country’s digital identity.
“While progress has been made over the past 20 years, there is still significant work to be done to deepen adoption, increase awareness, strengthen policy support and position .ng as the preferred digital identity for Nigerians,” he said.
He stressed that registering a .ng domain goes beyond securing a web address, describing it as a commitment to Nigeria’s digital future.
“Every .ng domain registered is not merely a web address. It is a statement of confidence in Nigeria’s digital future. It reflects belief in local capacity and the ability of Nigerians to build, own and shape their digital destiny,” he noted.
Established over two decades ago with government backing, NIRA manages Nigeria’s country code top-level domain and operates as a multi-stakeholder, non-profit organisation. The association said the .ng domain remains a critical component of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, supporting online trust, business credibility, local content development and national competitiveness.
Adesanya argued that wider adoption of the .ng domain would strengthen Nigeria’s online presence and support the country’s broader digital economy ambitions.
“As Nigeria expands its digital economy, we must be deliberate about promoting a national digital identity. The .ng domain is a strategic digital asset that supports online trust, business credibility, digital inclusion, local content innovation and national competitiveness,” he said.
Beyond the challenge of adoption, the NIRA president also highlighted growing cybersecurity risks linked to increasing internet usage. He said the association has continued to strengthen the security and resilience of the .ng ecosystem through initiatives such as the implementation of Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC), designed to protect users from fraudulent websites and other cyber threats.
He called for stronger policy support, expanded digital literacy programmes and closer collaboration among stakeholders to accelerate .ng adoption and build a more secure digital ecosystem.
Also speaking at the forum, Destiny Amana, President of the Nigeria Internet Group, emphasised the need to expand internet access and improve digital skills across the country.
According to him, although Nigeria has made notable progress in internet adoption, greater efforts are needed to equip citizens—particularly young people—with the digital competencies required to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven world.
Amana encouraged students and young Nigerians to embrace programming, website development and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, noting that digital skills are becoming essential for future employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.
The forum, themed “Sustaining WSIS Vision with Multi-Stakeholder Synergy in Nigeria,” brought together policymakers, industry leaders, technology experts and civil society organisations to discuss internet governance, digital inclusion, cybersecurity and the future of Nigeria’s digital economy.
The discussions underscored a common message: while Nigeria’s digital economy continues to expand, the country must do more to promote indigenous digital assets such as the .ng domain if it hopes to fully realise the benefits of a secure, inclusive and globally competitive digital ecosystem.
