Arising from a one-day conference, participants at the 2019 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum on the Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) and Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable, have called on the President Muhammadu Buhari to initiate an Executive Order to fast-track migration of digital networks in Nigeria to IPv6.
A communiqué from the forum organized by DigitalSENSE Africa Media, a certified ICANN At-Large Structure) in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), identified the proposed Executive Order as a matter of urgency.
Participants in the communiqué under the chairmanship of the former Institute of Software Practitioner of Nigeria (ISPON) Chief Chris Uwaje and endorsed by the Executive Director, Operations, DigitalSENSE Africa Media, Mrs. Nkem Nweke, noted that the Executive Order if done immediately with a timeline of 18 months will be a booster to the migration from IPv4 to IPv6.
“There should be an Executive Order for all Digital Networks in Nigeria to migrate from IPv4 to IPv6 within 18 months,” part of the communiqué read.
They also called for immediate revision of the National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policies to pave the way for the establishment of the ‘National Digital Strategy’ for the country.
Government, participants urged, should ensure that all new IT equipment supplied to them are IPv6 compliant and Government should set a target date for MDAs to have IPv6 compliant networks, outside the national deadline.
“There should be IPv6 awareness and capacity building by organizing seminars and trainings, possibly incorporating IPv6 into the University curriculum,” the communiqué also read.
By government playing actively in the growth and development of ICT in Nigeria will facilitate enabling environment for stakeholders, while on the other hand students, youth and women and indeed all good users of the internet were encouraged to make judicious use of the internet bearing in mind the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) existing in the European Union.
Additionally, participants demanded that the government should make haste to sign into law the Digital rights and freedom bill, which seeks for equal freedom of expression online.
Further, they recalled that the 2019 one-day Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum Series is the 10th edition on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) which held on Thursday 20th June 2019, with the theme, “Connecting Nigerians for Enhanced Internet Governance” and Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable, in Commemoration of the World IPv6 Day with the theme “IPv6: An Ingredient For Enhance Internet” at the Welcome Centre Hotels, Muritala Muhammed International Airport Road, Lagos-Nigeria.
The 10th edition was supported by the NCC, Ministry of Communications, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), SystemSpecs Limited, African Regional Organisation (AFRALO), Medallion Communications Limited, Nigeria Internet Registration Association, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Association Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), among others.
NDSF 2019 was endorsed by the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers and Nigeria IT Reporters Association, ATCON, ALTON, NIRA, to name a few.