The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has announced a significant increase in the registration and renewal fees for Nigeria’s country code top-level domains (ccTLDs), including .ng, .com.ng, and .i.ng. Effective from February 1, 2025, the prices for these domains will nearly triple.
This decision comes in the context of a steady rise in the adoption of .ng domains. As of November 2024, the total number of .ng domain registrations reached 231,853, up from 211,164 in November 2023. This growth reflects increasing awareness and efforts to promote local online identities.
NiRA is the registry for .ng Internet Domain Names and maintains the database of names registered in the .ng country code Top Level Domain. NiRA is a Not-for-Profit, Non-Governmental Self-Regulating body and managers of the .ng national resource, the country code Top Level Domain(ccTLD) name space in the public interest of Nigeria and global internet communities
Nigeria is ranked as the second-largest market in Africa, as continent domain name registrations have surpassed 4.33 million.
This achievement was highlighted in the latest Africa Domain Name Industry report, commissioned by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers in collaboration with PowerSoft Africa.
The comprehensive study, covering 54 countries across the continent, revealed that Nigeria had moved up to second place in the African domain name industry, following South Africa. This leap underscores Nigeria’s growing prominence in the digital domain space.
As of November 2023, the report indicated that African country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) had reached 4.33 million registrations.
In addition, there are 1.4 million generic top-level domain (gTLD) registrations from African entities, reflecting robust growth in the region’s digital economy.
The ICANN report, released by the Coalition for Digital Africa at ICANN 80 in Kigali, Rwanda, also highlighted the challenges facing the continent.
NiRA has been actively encouraging both government and private institutions to adopt the .ng brand, emphasizing its significant role in the country’s digital economy agenda. The association has also highlighted the unique benefits of .ng domains, including improved visibility in local search results and enhanced trust among Nigerian customers.
While the specific reasons for the price increase have not been detailed, such adjustments are often implemented to support infrastructure improvements, enhance security measures, and fund public awareness campaigns. NiRA has previously invested in initiatives aimed at making .ng domains more accessible and promoting their adoption among Nigerian businesses and individuals.
The new pricing structure is expected to have a significant impact on current and prospective domain registrants. Individuals and businesses planning to register or renew .ng, .com.ng, or .i.ng domains are advised to do so before the February 1, 2025, deadline to take advantage of the current pricing.
As the digital landscape in Nigeria continues to evolve, stakeholders will be closely monitoring the effects of this price adjustment on the adoption and utilization of .ng domains. NiRA’s ongoing efforts to promote local online identities remain crucial in advancing Nigeria’s digital economy.
