The journey towards enhancing the security and stability of Nigeria’s internet infrastructure is a continuous and evolving process. The Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has been at the forefront of this endeavour, particularly concerning Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC). DNSSEC is a critical component in ensuring the authenticity and integrity of domain name system (DNS) responses, thus protecting against various cyber threats.
NiRA has embarked on a strategic path to implement DNSSEC. As part of this journey, NiRA has been benchmarking best practices and learning from other country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) that have successfully deployed DNSSEC.
When the NiRA team attended ICANN 80 in Kigali, it wasn’t just an opportunity to showcase our growth as the Nigerian ccTLD and our contributions to the African Domain Name Industry. It was also an invaluable occasion to engage with other African ccTLD teams and learn from their successful implementation of DNSSEC.
Our first significant interaction was with the Kenya Network Information Centre (KENic), the registry responsible for .ke domain names. This benchmarking session with KENic’s Senior Leadership Team—comprising Andrew Mwanyota Lewela, Fiona Ongeso, Hildah Maina, Gitau Muraguri, Eric Ndungu, and Landi Ahmed—provided NiRA with profound insights into their DNSSEC deployment process.
Understanding the practical aspects of DNSSEC deployment, from the technical intricacies to the management of potential hurdles, will enable us to make informed strategic decisions. This collaborative learning experience highlights NiRA’s commitment to adopting robust security measures for the .ng domain.
The NiRA team at ICANN 80 was led by President Mr. Adesola Akinsanya and included Vice President Mr. Abdullahi Murtala, Head of Technical Services Mr. Habeeb Wahab, and Head of Corporate Services Mrs. Busayo Balogun. Their presence underscored our dedication to leveraging collective expertise for Nigeria’s digital advancement.
The second significant interaction was with the Rwanda Information and Communication Technology Agency (RICTA) team led by CEO Ms. Grace Ingabire. This session was pivotal in our ongoing efforts to draw insights regarding the strategy and options NiRA can explore for its DNSSEC deployment.
The benchmarking sessions with KENIC and RICTA at ICANN 80 have provided invaluable knowledge and practical insights. NiRA’s journey towards deploying DNSSEC is a testament to our dedication to securing Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. We remain committed to continuous learning and improvement in our domain management practices.
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