Farewell Message: Outgoing President Reflects on Achievements Ahead of 15th AGM

I am delighted to write to you in what would be my last newsletter statement as President of NiRA. The last four years have been an adventure and I am glad you have stayed the course with me and the board from 2019- 2023.

This month’s newsletter is particularly exciting as it heralds the 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM) which comes up on 28th April 2023. During the AGM, the current board of executives will present their reports for the year 2022, discuss the business plan for 2023, and hold elections for new members. This year we will also be electing new members to the Board of Trustees. This annual event is an opportunity for NiRA’s stakeholders to review the organization’s progress, share insights and ideas about what we can do better, and generally shape the future direction of the association. As NiRA continues to champion a strong and inclusive internet for Nigeria, the AGM is a critical opportunity for stakeholders to come together and build on the successes of the past year. 

At NiRA, we place great importance on equipping entrepreneurs with the necessary skills to excel in the domain name industry. Through the NiRA Academy, one of our Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) we continue to provide top-notch training. We recently organized the Reseller Entrepreneurship Program with the theme “Building a Profitable Business with the .ng domains: Strategies for Resellers” The event attracted over 100 participants and six (6)subject experts who shared invaluable insights on achieving entrepreneurial success in the DNS industry. As a result of this program, we expect to increase the number of resellers and possibly onboard new registrars into the .ng domain community, further strengthening and expanding our network.

Reflecting on my tenure as the President of NiRA, I am excited about the remarkable progress we have achieved during this period. Working with an exceptional board, we have successfully increased the number of domain registrations and accredited registrars and fostered strategic collaborations with both the private and public sectors to advance growth in Nigeria’s digital and internet ecosystem. Comprehensive details about these collaborations are available in our AGM 2022 report which will be available after the Annual General Meeting.

This is a good opportunity to appreciate the invaluable support rendered by the Executive Board Members and the Board of Trustees. Their unwavering commitment has been instrumental in achieving the celebrated milestones.

I would like to extend my profound gratitude to the entire NiRA team and stakeholders for their steadfast support throughout my tenure as President. I am optimistic that the incoming Board of Directors will build upon the successes we have attained and elevate NiRA to greater heights.

I wish everyone the best of years.