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By Chinenye Anuforo
The Nigerian Senate, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) have jointly called for the accelerated adoption of Nigeria’s country code top-level domain, .ng, as a national priority to consolidate the country’s digital identity and sovereignty.
The call came at Tech Convergence 2.0, a high-level dialogue convened by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) in Abuja, which brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and digital ecosystem stakeholders to chart Nigeria’s digital future.
Themed “Nigeria First Online,” the event underscored the view that a nation’s digital identity is a reflection of its national identity and that ownership of digital assets such as the .ng domain is vital for economic independence, cybersecurity, and innovation.
Speaking on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senator Diket Plang stressed the need for the government to take the lead in promoting the .ng domain across public institutions.
“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,” he said.
Similarly, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, noted that adopting .ng is a matter of national responsibility.
“We must understand that we are stakeholders in our Internet space and must promote what is ours,” he said.
NiRA President, Adesola Akinsanya, described the .ng domain as “a symbol of Nigerian digital pride”, saying that building trust and identity online begins with using the country’s own domain.
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“Our mission is to ensure every Nigerian and institution is identifiable online through our digital identity—the .ng domain,” he said.
Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, Chairperson of the NiRA Board of Trustees, urged both public and private sectors to prioritise local infrastructure, warning that continued dependence on foreign digital assets weakens national control and trust.
Representing the Director General of NITDA, a spokesperson emphasised that government agencies must lead by example by migrating to .ng domains.
“The internet has gone beyond communication; it is now the infrastructure for innovation and identity,” the representative said.
In a similar vein, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), disclosed plans to ensure all communications across Nigeria’s over 120,000 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) are hosted under the .ng domain. This, he said, would strengthen digital sovereignty and prevent reliance on generic or foreign-hosted domains.
Oluwaseyi Onasanya, Chief Operating Officer of NiRA, concluded by calling for a collective digital consciousness among Nigerians.
“We must own our narrative online. Adopting .ng is not just a technical choice—it is a patriotic act,” he said.
Tech Convergence 2.0 ultimately delivered a clear message: Nigeria’s digital identity must be owned, built, and protected by Nigerians themselves.
