The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has raised concerns over Nigeria’s growing dependence on foreign digital infrastructure, warning that the country loses an estimated $850 million annually through the use of foreign domain names, offshore data hosting and non-indigenous digital platforms.
The concern was a major highlight of the third edition of Tech Convergence 3.0, NiRA’s annual conference, held in Abuja under the theme “Strengthening Nigeria’s Digital Independence: The Role of Policy, Digital Identity, and .ng for Economic Growth.”
The conference brought together lawmakers, regulators, industry leaders, and other stakeholders who unanimously called for stronger efforts to promote Nigeria’s digital sovereignty through wider adoption of the country’s .ng domain name.
Delivering the keynote address, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, described control of digital infrastructure and data as a matter of national security.
Drawing comparisons with global technology and data sovereignty disputes involving the United States, China and the European Union, Salisu said Nigeria must take deliberate steps to secure ownership of its digital identity.
He noted that while the country has institutions to protect its territorial borders, much of its digital information remains outside its control.
According to him, the .ng domain represents Nigeria’s digital address and should be embraced by citizens, businesses and government institutions.
The conference also secured commitments from the National Assembly to support policies that strengthen Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
Senator Salisu and Hon. Stanley Olajide, Chairman of the House Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, pledged to accelerate work on the National Digital Economy and E-Government Bill, as well as a revised Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Bill aligned with international standards.
Olajide assured stakeholders that the legislature would support policy recommendations emerging from the conference and work with NiRA to translate them into actionable outcomes.
Participants stressed the need for Nigeria to host more of its data locally, arguing that doing so would improve accessibility, reduce latency, enhance data protection and stimulate investment in local cloud services and data centres.
Representatives of key agencies, including the Nigerian Communications Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, Nigeria Data Protection Commission and the National Bureau of Statistics, echoed the need for stronger indigenous digital infrastructure.
Senator Salisu proposed measures to accelerate .ng adoption, including requiring .ng email addresses for Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) applicants, encouraging Corporate Affairs Commission-registered businesses to use .ng domains, and linking adoption to selected government support programmes.
A major outcome of the event was the launch of the .ng Ambassador Programme, an initiative designed to create a network of influential advocates who will promote .ng adoption across government, academia, industry and civil society.
Ibukun Odusote, Chairperson of the NiRA Board of Trustees, said the growth of the .ng ecosystem requires collective action and cannot be achieved by the association alone.
She described the ambassador programme as a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital independence through advocacy, stakeholder engagement and capacity development.
Adesola Akinsanya, NiRA President, emphasised that digital independence does not imply isolation from the global internet, but rather the development of a secure, resilient and competitive ecosystem that gives Nigeria greater control over its data, infrastructure, and online identity.
Beyond Nigeria, participants urged the country to take a leadership role in advancing Africa’s digital interests, including efforts to reclaim internet resources and strengthen the continent’s position in global internet governance.
The consensus at Tech Convergence 3.0 was clear: Nigeria’s economic and digital future will depend increasingly on its ability to control and grow indigenous digital assets, with the .ng domain positioned as a key pillar of that strategy.
