A wide range of stakeholders have joined forces with NiRA to call for the full adoption of the .ng domain name in order to strengthen and advance Nigeria’s online identity.
This call was made at the Tech Convergence 2.0, a high-level event hosted in Abuja by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA).
Symbol of Nigerian digital pride
The.ng domain is “a symbol of Nigerian digital pride,” according to NiRA President Adesola Akinsanya, who emphasized that it represents both technical prowess and national confidence.
“Our mission is to build trust through the Nigerian identity online and ensure every Nigerian is identifiable through our digital identity—the .ng domain,” Akinsanya said.
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“There should be an urgent need to adopt what is ours, which is the.ng domain,” said Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, chairperson of the NiRA Board of Trustees, echoing the call for the immediate adoption of local digital infrastructure.
Oluwaseyi Onasanya, Chief Operating Officer of NiRA emphasized that Nigerians must embrace “.ng to allow us to own our narrative online.”
Stakeholders call for digital patriotism
With a particular emphasis on the Nigeria First Online agenda, the meeting brought together government representatives, business executives, and policymakers to discuss Nigeria’s digital future.
Stakeholders present at the conference include the Nigerian Senate, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
In order to promote sustainable growth within Nigeria’s Internet ecosystem, the stakeholders called for digital patriotism by utilizing the .ng country code top-level domain (ccTLD) and the larger Domain Name System (DNS) industry.
Stakeholders stressed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Made-in-Nigeria” policy must now extend to the digital sphere, even though the.ng domain currently ranks second in Africa. They maintained that in an increasingly digital-first global economy, possessing Nigeria’s digital identity through .ng is both a strategic necessity and a matter of sovereignty.
Crucial role of government in determining digital policy
At the event, Senator Diket Plang, speaking on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, emphasized the crucial role that the government plays in determining digital policy.
“We now live in a digital world, and we must also take ownership of our presence online, and for us, the true mark of that ownership is through the .ng domain,” he said.
“We must understand that we are stakeholders in our Internet space and must promote what is ours,” said Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, the chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT & Cybersecurity.
The NITDA Director General’s representative underlined that when it comes to online representation of Nigeria’s identity, the public sector must set an example.
“The Internet has gone beyond communication; it is now an infrastructure for innovation and identity,” the representative stated.
Significant policy change
The Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, announced plans to make sure that all communications between the more than 1,200 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) are hosted under the .ng domain, marking a significant policy change. Eliminating the use of generic foreign domains in the public sector and bolstering national digital sovereignty are the goals of this initiative.
Thus, the Tech Convergence 2.0 event turned into a forceful appeal for people, organizations, and governmental entities to put their words aside and take decisive action. “Nigeria’s digital identity must be owned, built, and secured by Nigerians,” Akinsanya summarized.