By Chinenye Anuforo
The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) recently concluded its 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM), an event that underscored the association’s ongoing dedication to bolstering Nigeria’s digital identity. The hybrid meeting, held both at the NiRA secretariat and virtually via Zoom, drew over 325 members, stakeholders, and media, providing a platform to review a year of substantial progress and elect new leadership.
NiRA president, Mr. Adesola Akinsanya, characterized 2024 as a year of unprecedented growth and innovation for the association. Key achievements included the registration of 94,723 new .ng domain names and 61,227 renewals, escalating the total number of .ng domains under management to an impressive 212,890. The accreditation of 23 new registrars further highlighted NiRA’s expanding reach and successful collaborations.
A development was the implementation of DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC), which significantly enhanced the integrity and trustworthiness of the .ng namespace. NiRA also launched a Registrar Incentive Programme in Q3 2024, designed to reward top-performing registrars for their crucial role in driving .ng adoption.
Mr. Akinsanya emphasised several strategic partnerships across government and private sectors. These include NiRA’s long-standing collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), high-level discussions with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to strengthen the national data and privacy framework, and ongoing cooperation with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry to support businesses thriving online. He also mentioned engagements with the Nigeria Computer Society and the Innovation Support Network (ISN Hubs), among others, all aligned with the shared goal of advancing Nigeria’s internet space.
Other significant achievements included the successful launch of Tech Convergence 1.0, a flagship event fostering discussions at the intersection of technology and creativity, and the 7th edition of the prestigious .ng Awards, which celebrated 19 organizations and 16 individuals for their outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. Akinsanya also reaffirmed NiRA’s dedication to Corporate Social Responsibility through the Ndukwe Kalu Foundation (NKF) and the .ng Academy, focusing on digital empowerment and capacity building.
The AGM saw active participation from members who emphasized the need for deeper engagement across the Association’s activities, reflecting a shared vision for strengthening NiRA’s position in Nigeria’s evolving digital landscape.
The elections, conducted in strict adherence to NiRA’s guidelines, resulted in the emergence of new Executive Board of Directors (EBoD) members: Mrs. Mary Olaseni, Mrs. Abibat Olatunji, and Mr. Ahmad Mukoshy, CEO of Gigalayer. Additionally, existing board members Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata (MD/CEO) and Mr. Destiny Amana assumed new roles within the board. NiRA extended its sincere gratitude to the outgoing board members for their invaluable service and contributions.