By Chinenye Anuforo
[email protected]
Africa’s internet scene is transforming rapidly and Nigeria is leading the way.
The latest report from Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) disclosed that 74% of marketing bigwigs in Nigeria are positive about what generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) can do for branding and online presence.
A generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) is the last part of a website address; the part that comes after the dot, like .com, .org, or .net and Nigeria is maxing out the benefits therein.
This makes the country stand out and flaunts the country as a key player for the next big phase of internet growth.
In this interview, ICANN’s Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement for Africa, Mr. Pierre Dandjinou, offers insight into the growing excitement among Nigerians over generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs).
He further explains how ICANN aims to harness this enthusiasm ahead of the April 2026 application window for new domain names.
Dandjinou also discusses the potential challenges applicants may encounter and outlines the measures ICANN is putting in place to ensure equal access to this transformative digital opportunity.
Nigeria’s optimism for gTLDs
ICANN is encouraged to see such a positive response from Nigerian respondents.
I believe that their high level of enthusiasm for gTLDs is due to the entrepreneurial spirit and creative culture of Nigeria. The country has more than 200 technology hubs – places where people come together to collaborate and innovate, which leads to strong economic development, as well. The tech sector in Nigeria has seen the investment of billions of dollars over the last several years according to Novatia Consulting.
The ICANN organization has been working to raise awareness of new gTLDs and the opportunities they could bring to Nigeria in the next round of the program. We will continue to focus on engagement efforts there in the lead-up to the opening of the application window for new gTLDs in April 2026.
ICANN’s plan on education and application process of gTLDs
ICANN has initiated a series of workshops in partnership with the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Nigerian Internet Registration Association, to raise awareness of the New gTLD Program: Next Round. These workshops (Abuja, Lagos) provide detailed information about the program and what the opportunities are for potential applicants in the Nigerian market. These workshops will continue to run through the opening of the application window in April 2026.
Applicant Support Programme (ASP)
To make the New gTLD Program as accessible to as many eligible entities as possible, ICANN is providing financial and non-financial assistance to qualified applicants through the ASP. The program is for applicants that want to apply for a new gTLD, but are unable to because of financial constraints and lack of other resources. The range of assistance for qualified applicants includes access to volunteer professional services, training, and other resources, and reductions in base gTLD application and evaluation fees.
Investment returns for organisations that have adopted gTLDs
A great way to better understand how gTLDs are managed and run, and the business benefits garnered through gTLDs, is to read the use cases published on the New gTLD Program: Next Round website. There are examples of various types of successful TLDs, brand, geographic, community, and generic including .microsoft and .africa. The use cases provide insight into how the gTLD is operated, how success is measured, and the benefits gained by operating a gTLD. The Brand Registry Group also has case studies available on their website.
Security and trustworthiness of new gTLDs
Operating or using a customised TLD can provide a business with greater control over its online presence. Many companies, including brand owners, use a custom TLD to authenticate their websites and differentiate themselves from potential fraud and forms of DNS Abuse like spam and phishing. Using a brand TLD for internal company email addresses can also prevent the unauthorized use of email for phishing, thereby reducing security risk for that company.
However, it is really up to the brand or business to determine how best to use a TLD to help achieve long-term goals.
ICANN’s communication and support plans for countries like Nigeria and India
Conducting this survey provided great insight into the level of awareness of gTLDs and how they are perceived around the world. The information we gained from the survey will definitely help our outreach and engagement efforts in terms of better understanding where there is interest. It also shows us where we should focus our efforts to better inform global communities about what the New gTLD Program is and the different ways that gTLDs can be used.
Nigeria’s country code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD) versus the new gTLDs
ccTLDs and gTLDs can and often do coexist and yes, even complement one another. ccTLDs have a unique role within a geographic territory and the Internet’s infrastructure. Having been established by the Internet community in 1985, many ccTLDs are very experienced and successful operators of their registries.
Admittedly, there are some ccTLD operators that see new gTLDs as competition, or believe that new gTLDs present increased complexity in the domain name space. But many ccTLDs serve as outsourced, back-end providers of technical and operational services for new gTLDs.
ccTLDs in this category deploy expertise and equipment behind the scenes, while others manage gTLDs from a business perspective. In the next round of the New gTLD Program, ccTLDs can apply to be evaluated to offer these services to new gTLDs through ICANN’s Registry Service Providers Evaluation Program. Additionally, some ccTLD operators have helped launch geographic gTLDs in partnership with city governments or local entities. These collaborations can strengthen digital identity, promote local commerce and tourism, or provide secure portals for public services.
How to apply for a gTLD
ICANN has developed readiness materials for applicants to fill the need for more accessible information. The Applicant Guidebook (AGB) is the official rulebook for the application round. It details the requirements of running a gTLD and the processes by which gTLD applicants will be evaluated.
Created for newcomers, Key Topic Overviews provide high-level summaries of complex topics in clear, understandable language. These overviews cover the issues, challenges, and other matters that may arise in the course of applying for a new gTLD. ICANN is also creating FAQs related to each topic that go into more detail and provide answers to commonly asked questions from potential applicants.
ICANN is also helping new gTLD applicants meet two challenges financial and technical, through the ASP and the Registry Service Provider (RSP) Evaluation Program. As I said, the ASP provides financial and nonfinancial assistance to eligible, qualified new gTLD applicants. The RSP Evaluation Programme ensures that experienced back-end providers have the technical expertise that’s required to support gTLD applicants. All new gTLD applicants are required to use RSPs that have been successfully vetted through the RSP Evaluation Program.
ICANN’s long-term vision for the evolution and adoption of gTLDs globally
The goal of the New gTLD Program: Next Round is to foster diversity, encourage competition, and enhance the usefulness of the Domain Name System, or DNS. The round comes at the request of ICANN’s global multistakeholder community, which developed the program over a number of years, and is being implemented by ICANN in line with community-developed policy recommendations. ICANN will continue to implement policy developed by the ICANN community in future rounds, as well.
Engagement with stakeholders
As mentioned earlier, ICANN org is working closely with local Nigerian Internet industry partners on a series of workshops aimed at raising awareness of the New gTLD Programme: Next Round. Our focus is to provide educational and practical resources and information for potential applicants including brand owners, nonprofits, local municipalities and governments, and more. I also encourage anyone interested in learning more about the Next Round and gTLDs to visit the program website. There are a number of resources available including gTLD use cases, Key Topic Overview documents, Frequently Asked Questions and more.