The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has approved the 2025 Annual Report and 2026 Business Plan of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), reaffirming its commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s digital economy through increased adoption of local internet domains.
The approval was granted during a strategic meeting at NITDA headquarters in Abuja, where NiRA President, Mr. Adesola Akinsanya, led members of the association’s board to present the organisation’s 2026 vision to NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa.
Following the endorsement, both organisations pledged to strengthen collaboration to ensure the successful implementation of initiatives aimed at increasing the adoption of the .ng domain name across Nigeria.
To facilitate effective execution of the business plan, Inuwa directed NiRA to work closely with NITDA’s e-Governance and Digital Economy Department, emphasizing the need for regular updates, project monitoring, and performance 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 stated.
Highlighting NiRA’s achievements in 2025, Akinsanya disclosed that the association recorded 98,285 new domain registrations, 71,470 renewals, and 1,970 restorations, bringing the total number of active domains under management to approximately 241,000.
He also noted that NiRA strengthened the security and resilience of Nigeria’s internet ecosystem through the implementation of Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC), alongside improvements in registrar support and stakeholder engagement.
Speaking on the association’s future plans, Akinsanya said NiRA is intensifying efforts to position .ng and .gov.ng domains as the preferred digital identities for businesses, government institutions, and citizens across the country.
He commended NITDA for its continued support and advocated for joint awareness campaigns and digital capacity-building initiatives to encourage greater adoption of official domains by state governments, local councils, and public institutions.
According to him, NiRA is also modernising its operations through system upgrades, increased automation, and constitutional reforms designed to align the organisation with global best practices and ensure long-term sustainability.
“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.
The approval of NiRA’s 2026 Business Plan is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and support the broader national agenda of promoting indigenous digital assets, enhancing cybersecurity, and expanding the country’s digital economy.
