The approval came during a meeting at NITDA headquarters where NiRA’s President, Mr. Adesola Akinsanya led his board members to present the association’s 2026 vision to Kashifu Inuwa, NITDA’s director general.

Following the approval, both organisations expressed the resolve to reinforce their collaborative efforts to ensure smooth, rapid execution of their shared goals of increasing the adoption of the .ng domain across

To actualise the business plan, the DG directed NiRA to work hand-in-hand with NITDA’s e-Governance and Digital Economy Department for effective implementation, daily updates, and project tracking.

“You have my full approval for these initiatives. Let us change our strategy, sync up more closely, and ensure everything we have agreed upon during this presentation is fully implemented by next year,” Inuwa declared.

Highlighting some of NiRA’s impressive achievements over the past year, Akinsanya said 98,285 new registrations, 71,470 renewals, and 1,970 restorations were recorded in 2025, while there are 241,000 active .ng domains.

Beyond the numbers, NiRA also implemented important security upgrades, including the Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC), for a more secure and resilient internet experience for local users, as well as improvements in registrar support and engagement.

Looking into the future, Akinsanya said NiRA is intensifying action to make .ng and .gov.ng domains the gold standard across the country.

He expressed gratitude for NITDA’s ongoing support, calling for joint awareness campaigns and digital capacity-building to bring more state governments, local councils, and public institutions under the secure official domain.

Also, the NiRA president added that the association is updating its internal systems, introducing automation, and revising its constitution to meet globally acceptable standards to ensure sustainable growth.

“NiRA is looking into deeper stakeholder engagement and moving into areas where we see massive possibilities. We are specifically targeting startups and aligning with tech events across the country. With stronger collaboration, we can drive widespread adoption across every tier of government’’, Akinsanya said.

Seeking to enhance trust, adoption and ensure money circulates within the country rather than being lost to foreign platforms, the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) confirmed it has deployed DNSSEC across the .ng domain, meaning the country’s internet addresses can now be verified and protected against cyber attacks.

At the unveiling, Adesola Akinsanya, NiRA president, said the move is meant to stop attackers from redirecting users to fake websites, a growing risk as more services move online.

“The successful deployment and unveiling of DNSSEC on the ng domain represents a defining moment for Nigeria’s internet ecosystem,” the President said.

Described as a long-awaited fix to a weak point in Nigeria’s digital system, DNSSEC provides all round protection. The internet already translates website names into numerical addresses, but it was built on trust. However, that trust can be exploited.

DNSSEC adds a verification layer, confirming that when a user types a .ng website, they are reaching the real destination, not a fake one set up by criminals.

If attackers control a domain’s routing, they can redirect traffic without hacking the website itself. DNSSEC is meant to block that route.

“This achievement did not happen overnight. It is as a result of years of commitment, collaboration and shared vision,” Adebiyi Oladipo, vice chair, ICANN ccNSO said.

The DNSSEC has now been fully signed and is in a monitoring phase, with a gradual rollout planned for registrars and domain owners.

The upgrade puts Nigeria in line with global standards and strengthens trust in local digital services.

Adoption, the bigger problem

The conversation went beyond technology to the issue of Nigerians not using .ng enough. Awareness is low, hence, the media is key to changing that.

Billions still leaving the country

Beyond perception, the economic argument cannot be ignored. NiRA said Nigeria loses billions every year to foreign domain registration and hosting services, as businesses choose .com and host their platforms abroad.

That money, they argued, should stay in the country, especially as local data centres now have the capacity to handle large-scale hosting.

NiRA also confirmed plans to work with organisations like the Corporate Affairs Commission to tie business registration more closely to domain ownership.

What comes next

NiRA is now pushing for adoption, with banks, telecom firms, government agencies and e-commerce platforms being asked to enable DNSSEC and move fully into the .ng space.

“This unveiling is not just about technology; it is about building trust in Nigeria’s digital future,” Oluwaseyi Onasanya, the COO said.