Day one of the NiRA Tech Convergence 1.0 hosted an insightful panel discussion titled, “How Webmasters and Web Developers Can Tap into the Opportunity to Drive Growth in the Nigerian Digital Ecosystem on the .ng Domain.”
The session, moderated by Busayo Balogun, head of Corporate Services at the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), featured speakers including Omotola Olaseni, managing director/CEO of GO54; Ebenezer Dare, CEO of HOSTLAG Limited; Ahmad Mukoshy, CEO of GigaLayer; and Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, managing director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone.
These experts delved into the benefits, challenges, and untapped opportunities surrounding the adoption of .ng domains by Nigerian businesses and web developers.
The Case for Localisation: Leveraging .NG for Growth
Omotola Olaseni stressed the importance of owning a local domain: “If you want to succeed in Nigeria and truly establish your presence, having a .ng domain will go a long way for you and your business.”
Ebenezer Dare built on this, highlighting the technical advantages of .ng domains, particularly in reducing cyber risks and enhancing Search Engine Optimization (SEO): “Using a .ng domain and hosting locally reduces the number of attacks on your website. If your traffic is local, it helps your SEO because search engines prioritise locally hosted websites when people search within the country.”
He also noted the affordability of .ng domains, stating: “Many years ago, .com was way cheaper than .ng. But today, you can buy three .ng domains for the price of one .com. They are all top-level domains, so why not go with the cost advantage?”
Addressing Challenges
Ahmad Mukoshy acknowledged some challenges developers face when working with .ng domains, particularly with DNS configurations: “Developers tend to have challenges with manipulating or using DNS because it is complex, as simple as it seems.”
He further elaborated on the advantages of .ng domains, explaining their unique offerings compared to .com: “There are some other domain names you would want, and you would not find them under .com. The .ng domain gives you sovereignty and a unique identity as a Nigerian.”
Ebenezer Dare addressed misconceptions about .ng domains being “too local,” emphasising: “Some people say my business is global, so I don’t want to remain local. But even with a .ng domain, anybody from any part of the world can access your website and do business with you. Let’s educate our customers about these advantages and work to mitigate the challenges.”
.NG as a Symbol of Sovereignty
Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju brought a historical perspective to the discussion, tracing the evolution of the internet from the early days of the World Wide Web to the current era of Web 3.0: “The future of the World Wide Web lies in artificial intelligence, blockchain, and machine learning. The .ng domain gives Nigeria a sovereign digital identity, akin to the country code +234. It shows that Nigerians are powering and contributing to the digital ecosystem.”
He also highlighted the government’s role in adopting .ng domains, noting the example of Service Wise GPT, an AI-powered platform recently launched to enhance civil service processes: “This project shows the potential of integrating AI into government services, and it is all powered by .ng domains. The local domain reinforces our identity and promotes innovation within the country.”
Building Awareness
In closing, the panel emphasised the need for increased awareness about the benefits of .ng domains. Busayo Balogun, the moderator, noted: “I’m sure there are challenges, but sessions like these help in building trust and confidence in the .ng domain.”
There was a consensus among the panellists that organisations like NiRA should engage with tech communities, schools, and businesses to drive .ng adoption.
Ebenezer Dare reiterated: “We need to create more awareness. Let people see the need for .ng domains. Engage tech communities and educate students about this. With time, more people will embrace .ng domains.”
The session at the NiRA Tech Convergence 1.0 was a detailed exploration of how webmasters and developers can leverage .ng domains to drive growth in Nigeria’s digital space.
It stressed the need for stakeholders to embrace local domains as tools for innovation, economic growth, and national identity.
