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Nigeria’s push to reinforce its digital sovereignty gained new momentum as the Senate, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) joined other stakeholders in calling for the widespread adoption of the .ng domain—Nigeria’s official digital identity on the global internet.
The call to action was the focal point of Tech Convergence 2.0, a high-level forum organised by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) in Abuja, which brought together policymakers, government agencies, and industry leaders to advance discussions on Nigeria’s digital future.
Despite years of advocacy by NiRA, adoption of the .ng country code top-level domain (ccTLD) has remained relatively low. However, stakeholders at the event agreed that increasing usage of the national domain is critical to promoting Nigeria’s digital sovereignty, economic competitiveness, and cybersecurity resilience.
Discussions at the event were anchored on the “Nigeria First Online” agenda, which calls for digital patriotism through the use of the .ng domain and greater participation in the Domain Name System (DNS) industry. Participants agreed that embracing the national domain is a vital step toward aligning Nigeria’s digital infrastructure with its national identity.
While the .ng ccTLD currently ranks second in Africa, stakeholders emphasised that the government must lead by example by ensuring that all public institutions and agencies migrate to the .ng domain. This aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Made-in-Nigeria” policy, which advocates prioritising local products and services—including those in the digital space.
Representing the Senate President, Senator Diket Plang reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s digital posture, stating:
“We now live in a digital world, and we must take ownership of our presence online. For us, the true mark of that ownership is through the .ng domain.”
Similarly, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, urged all stakeholders to promote Nigeria’s digital assets, noting that every citizen and institution has a role in safeguarding the country’s online identity.
NiRA President, Adesola Akinsanya, described the .ng domain as a “symbol of Nigerian digital pride,” asserting that national digital ownership fosters both trust and confidence in local innovation.
“Our mission is to build trust through the Nigerian identity online and ensure every Nigerian is identifiable through our digital identity—the .ng domain,” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, Chairperson of NiRA’s Board of Trustees, called for the prioritisation of local infrastructure to support the country’s digital economy.
“There should be an urgent need to adopt what is ours—which is the .ng domain,” she urged.
NITDA’s Director-General, Abdullahi Inuwa Kashifu, represented at the event, echoed the sentiment, highlighting that the internet now serves as a foundation for innovation and governance. He stressed that the public sector must take the lead in representing Nigeria’s identity online through the .ng domain.
With the growing convergence of technology and governance, the nationwide adoption of .ng stands as a defining step in asserting Nigeria’s digital independence and global visibility.
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