A new study shows Nigeria’s internet presence is booming as the country jumped to second place in Africa for domain name registrations. This means more Nigerian businesses and individuals are staking their claims on the internet.
The study, by ICANN and PowerSoft Africa, found over 4.3 million domain names registered across Africa’s country-specific codes (ccTLDs). Nigeria itself has over 215,000 registrations for its ccTLD, “.ng”. That number is growing fast, according to Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the Nigerian internet regulator.
There are a few reasons for this growth. First, Nigeria has a large and growing population, many of whom are coming online for the first time. Second, the cost of registering a “.ng” domain name is lower than registering a generic domain name like “.com”. Finally, Nigerians are realizing the benefits of having a website with a “.ng” address, such as improved search engine optimization (SEO).
This is good news for Nigeria’s economy. More businesses online means more opportunities for commerce and job creation. It also means Nigerians will have more access to information and services online.
There’s still room for improvement, though. The study found that internet access costs in Africa are still high, limiting widespread usage. Nigeria can do more to make the internet affordable for everyone.
Overall, the study shows that Nigeria is on the right track when it comes to internet development. By continuing to invest in infrastructure and making the Internet more affordable, Nigeria can solidify its position as a leader in Africa’s digital economy.
Commenting on the report, Mr. Adesola Akinsanya, President of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), expressed delight in Nigeria’s domain name growth trajectory.
According to him, the report is a reflection of NiRA and other stakeholders’ efforts, particularly, the registrars, towards deepening the country’s DNS industry.
In his words, “The study that was done regarding the DNS industry in Africa and I am privy to the first edition in which Nigeria was not even in the top three. Today, we are number two in Africa. It shows that the efforts of NiRA, both past and present EBoD and the secretariat staff, alongside the registrars, our efforts are making impact.