In the Nigerian internet ecosystem, a domain name is more than just an address; it’s a digital deed of ownership.
For years, the (.ng) namespace has been a proxy for the health of the country’s digital economy. The latest January 2026 Domain Report is out, and it suggests that the honeymoon phase of just getting online is evolving into something more mature: retention.
According to data released by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the headline figures show a total of 15,216 transactions in January alone.
But the real story lies in the delta between the people showing up for the first time and the people refusing to leave.
The Stats: New Dreams vs. Sustained Confidence
Nigeria recorded 8,111 new registrations last month. These are the fresh startups, the side hustles, and the Day 1 ideas finally going live.
However, the ecosystem also saw 7,105 renewals.
In the world of tech, a renewal is a much stronger signal than a registration. While a registration is often fueled by a flash in the pan idea, a renewal is a vote of confidence.
It says the business found a product-market fit, the brand has equity, and the founder is ready for Year 2 (or Year 10).
The 3rd-Level Engine
The bulk of the growth is still being powered by 3rd-level domains.
- The Volume: 6,155 new sign-ups (nearly 75% of all new registrations).
- The Why: Lower barriers to entry. 3rd-level domains remain the primary onboarding ramp for SMEs and local creators who need a digital footprint without the premium price tag of a 2nd-level domain.
Premium Players are Staying Put
The most interesting data point comes from the 2nd-level domains (direct .ng addresses). For the first time in a while, renewals (2,424) actually outpaced new registrations (1,956).
This is a massive signal of Premium Retention. The businesses that own high-value, 2nd-level .ng identities are not letting them go. They are treating these domains as core assets rather than experimental URLs.
The Big Picture
What does this mean for Nigeria’s digital footprint?
Accessibility is working: The high volume of 3rd-level domains shows that the entry-level internet is still accessible to the average Nigerian entrepreneur.
Trust is hardening: The spike in renewals suggests that the .ng namespace is shedding its image as a secondary option to .com.
Maturity: We are seeing a shift from a “land grab” (registering everything) to “homesteading” (building and maintaining specific digital properties).
The TC Take
For a long time, the .ng extension struggled against the global dominance of .com. But as Nigeria’s tech ecosystem matures and local SEO becomes more relevant for businesses targeting the 200-million-strong domestic market, the (.ng) string is becoming a badge of local authenticity.
The January data proves that while Nigerians are still prolific at launching new ideas, they are finally getting better at keeping them alive.
[Source: NiRA Domain Name Report]
