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By Chinenye Anuforo
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem have raised concerns over the country’s growing dependence on foreign digital infrastructure, warning that Nigeria loses an estimated $850 million annually through the use of foreign domains, offshore hosting services and non-indigenous digital platforms.
The concern was raised at the third edition of Tech Convergence organised by the Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA) in Abuja.
The conference, themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Digital Independence: The Role of Policy, Digital Identity, and .ng for Economic Growth,” brought together lawmakers, regulators, technology experts and industry players to discuss strategies for strengthening Nigeria’s digital sovereignty.
President of NiRA, Adesola Akinsanya, said digital independence was critical to the country’s economic and technological future.
According to him, digital independence does not imply isolation from the global internet but rather the creation of a secure, resilient and competitive digital ecosystem that gives Nigeria greater control over its data, infrastructure, digital identity systems and online presence.
A major highlight of the conference was the disclosure that Nigeria loses about $850 million annually by failing to maximise the benefits of its indigenous digital identity infrastructure.
Participants noted that continued reliance on foreign digital platforms not only results in capital flight but also limits the country’s control over the data of its citizens.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, described the issue as one of national security.
Drawing parallels with global battles over technology and data control, he stressed the need for Nigeria to take ownership of its digital assets.
“We may have the Navy to protect our marine borders and the Air Force to protect our airspace, but our data is somewhere else. We are vulnerable as a people and that is why this conversation is extremely important,” he said.
The lawmaker identified the .ng domain as one area where Nigeria could exercise greater control over its digital identity and online presence.
The conference attracted participation from key institutions including the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and other public and private sector stakeholders.
Speakers also advocated increased local hosting of Nigerian data, arguing that it would improve accessibility, reduce latency, strengthen data protection and stimulate growth in local cloud and data centre investments.
To deepen adoption of Nigeria’s country code domain, NiRA unveiled the .ng Ambassador Programme, an initiative aimed at creating a network of advocates across government, industry, academia and civil society.
Chairperson of the NiRA Board of Trustees, Dr Ibukun Odusote, said the programme would help drive awareness and adoption of Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure.
She noted that the growth of the .ng ecosystem requires collective efforts from both public and private sector stakeholders.
Lawmakers at the event also pledged support for legislative initiatives aimed at advancing the country’s digital economy, including ongoing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and e-government frameworks.
Stakeholders agreed that expanding the use of .ng domains, promoting local hosting infrastructure and strengthening digital identity systems would be crucial to achieving Nigeria’s digital transformation goals and enhancing economic growth.
