Nigeria’s Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), over 120,000 in total, have been urged to adopt the country’s official top-level domain, .ng, as part of a renewed national effort to promote Nigeria’s digital identity and online sovereignty.
The call was made during the Tech Convergence 2.0 forum held in Abuja by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) in collaboration with the Senate, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Themed “Nigeria First Online,” the event encouraged public and private institutions to embrace the .ng domain as a way of strengthening national pride, data security, and economic growth through digital innovation.
Stakeholders at the event described the .ng domain as more than a web address, but a symbol of national ownership and a foundation for a trusted digital economy. Although the .ng country code already ranks second in Africa, participants emphasised the need for stronger government-led adoption, aligning with the Federal Government’s “Made-in-Nigeria” agenda.
Representing the Senate President, a lawmaker noted that “we now live in a digital world, and we must also take ownership of our presence online. For us, the true mark of that ownership is through the .ng domain.”
NiRA President, Adesola Akinsanya, described the .ng domain as “a symbol of Nigerian digital pride,” stressing that every organisation and individual should reflect the national identity through their digital presence. “Our mission is to build trust through Nigeria’s online identity and ensure every Nigerian can be identifiable through the .ng domain,” he said.
Similarly, NITDA and the Bureau of Public Procurement reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring all communications within public institutions are hosted under the .ng domain. The move is expected to reduce reliance on generic domains, safeguard national data, and promote the growth of Nigeria’s local DNS industry.
NiRA’s Chief Operating Officer, Oluwaseyi Onasanya, encouraged Nigerians to reflect on their online footprint, urging: “We must own our narrative by adopting .ng, that is how we tell our story and build our digital legacy.”
Beyond its symbolic importance, experts noted that adopting the .ng domain offers practical benefits such as lower costs for local hosting, better data control, improved cybersecurity, and increased visibility for local businesses.
For small businesses and startups, using a .ng domain not only establishes authenticity but also supports the national goal of building a robust digital economy driven by local innovation. Stakeholders agreed that the success of Nigeria’s digital future depends on how well individuals, MSMEs, and government institutions embrace and sustain this identity.
