Nigeria loses $850m annually to weak digital identity adoption — NiRA

The Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has revealed that Nigeria loses an estimated $850 million annually due to the poor adoption of its national digital identity infrastructure, as stakeholders push for greater use of the country’s .ng domain to strengthen digital sovereignty and economic growth.

The disclosure was made during the third edition of NiRA’s Tech Convergence Conference held in Abuja, where policymakers, regulators and industry stakeholders gathered to discuss Nigeria’s digital independence and the role of local digital infrastructure in driving economic development.

Speaking at the event, NiRA President, Adesola Akinsanya, said digital independence is not about disconnecting from the global internet but about building a secure and resilient ecosystem that gives Nigeria greater control over its data, infrastructure and online identity.

“Digital independence does not mean isolation from the global internet. It means a secure, resilient and competitive digital ecosystem that gives Nigeria greater control over its data, infrastructure, digital identity system and online presence,” he said.

Participants at the conference warned that Nigeria’s dependence on foreign domains, offshore hosting services and non-indigenous digital platforms continues to export economic value while limiting the country’s control over citizens’ data.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Shuaib Salisu, described digital assets as a matter of national security, arguing that Nigeria remains vulnerable because much of its data is hosted outside the country.

“We may have the Navy to protect our marine borders and the Air Force to protect our airspace, but our data is somewhere in China. We are vulnerable as a people,” Salisu said.

He described the .ng domain as Nigeria’s digital address and called for stronger national ownership of the country’s online identity.

According to NiRA, the estimated annual losses arise from limited use of local digital infrastructure, including domain registration, data hosting and digital services, which channel revenue to foreign jurisdictions.

The association noted that increased adoption of the .ng domain could help retain revenue within the country, improve data security, reduce latency and stimulate growth in Nigeria’s cloud and digital infrastructure sectors.

Stakeholders at the conference also advocated policy reforms to deepen local digital adoption. Among the proposals discussed were mandatory use of .ng domains by businesses and integration of the domain into educational and public service systems.

Salisu suggested that applicants seeking admission through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board should be required to use .ng email addresses, while businesses seeking corporate registration or government-backed support programmes should also adopt the national domain.

The conference further unveiled plans for a .ng Ambassador Programme aimed at promoting awareness and adoption of Nigeria’s national domain across government institutions, businesses and academic communities.

NiRA said the initiative would create a network of advocates to support digital identity adoption and advance the country’s broader digital economy objectives.

Organisers noted that the conference reflected a growing consensus among policymakers and industry leaders that Nigeria must strengthen ownership and control of its digital infrastructure to maximise economic opportunities and safeguard national interests.