On April 7, 2025, the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) joined key stakeholders in Abuja for a joint outreach program organized by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). The event, held in a hybrid format, drew 191 participants—63 onsite and 128 online—comprising industry professionals, government agencies, academia, and private sector leaders.
The session was convened to raise awareness and build momentum around the upcoming 2026 application round for new generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs), a significant milestone in the evolution of the global Domain Name System (DNS). As the country’s managers of the .ng country code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD), NiRA, as the registry for .ng domains, contributed to the conversation that focused on Nigeria’s digital advancement and deepened understanding of domain name policy and opportunities.
Opening the session on behalf of the NCC, Engr. Babagana Digima, Deputy Director of the New Media and Information Security Department, underscored Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda and highlighted the relevance of gTLDs in driving innovation across sectors including fintech, health tech, and entertainment.
ICANN representatives Yaovi Atohoun and Bob Ochieng delivered compelling presentations on the scope and potential of gTLDs, distinguishing them from ccTLDs such as .ng. They highlighted the importance of developing local registrar capacity and emphasized the economic and identity-building benefits of creating unique gTLDs like “.Naija” and “.Lagos.” Mr. Ochieng also stressed the role of gTLDs in enabling linguistic diversity, fostering digital inclusion, and encouraging globally competitive digital branding.
NiRA’s president, Adesola Akinsanya, delivered closing remarks, reinforcing the importance of early stakeholder engagement, ecosystem collaboration, and awareness creation to ensure Nigeria is strategically positioned for success in the 2026 application round. She echoed the need for robust public-private partnerships and committed NiRA’s support toward continued sensitization and capacity development.
As Nigeria continues to evolve as a leading digital economy, NiRA remains committed to driving initiatives that foster innovation, promote local digital identity through the .ng domain, and amplify Nigeria’s presence in global internet governance discussions.