The Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has sounded a clarion call for digital sovereignty, convening senators, regulators, industry leaders, and civil society at the third edition of its yearly Tech Convergence conference. Under the theme “Strengthening Nigeria’s Digital Independence: The Role of Policy, Digital Identity, and .ng for Economic Growth.”
 
Declaring the conference open, NiRA President, Adesola Akinsanya, noted that digital independence is not isolation but resilience. “It means a secure, competitive ecosystem that gives Nigeria greater control over its data, infrastructure, identity systems, and online presence,” he said.
 
One of the most sobering revelations came with figures showing Nigeria loses an estimated $850 million every year by failing to fully leverage its own digital identity infrastructure. Reliance on foreign domains, offshore hosting, and non-indigenous platforms not only drains revenue but also surrenders jurisdictional control over citizens’ data.
 
Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, framed the issue as a matter of national security. Drawing parallels with the U.S.-China tech rivalry and Europe’s battles with big tech, he warned: “We may have the Navy to protect our marine borders. Our Air Force may be free in the air to protect our airspace.

But your data is somewhere in China. We are vulnerable as a people. One area where we can take very good control is the .ng domain, because this is our address.”
 
The breadth of representation underscored the urgency. Among the high-level participants were Senator Salisu, Stanley Olajide (House Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity), Dr Vincent Olatunji (Nigeria Data Protection Commission), representatives of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NITDA, National Bureau of Statistics, ATCON, and leading private sector organisations.
 
Their consensus is that Nigeria must host Nigerian data on Nigerian soil. The National Bureau of Statistics emphasised that local hosting improves accessibility, reduces latency, retains jurisdiction, and stimulates demand for domestic cloud services and innovation.
 
Senator Salisu proposed bold measures to mainstream the .ng domain. These include
mandating .ng email addresses for all JAMB applicants (over 2.5 million yearly, requiring .ng domains for CAC-registered businesses and SMEDAN beneficiaries, making .ng a prerequisite for access to the Student Education Loan Fund.
 
He pledged to accompany NiRA leadership on advocacy visits to key agencies, ensuring policy-level adoption of .ng across government and institutions.
 
A landmark announcement was the unveiling of the .ng Ambassador Programme, designed to mobilise high-influence advocates across government, academia, and industry.
 
Chairperson of NiRA’s Board of Trustees, Dr Ibukun Odusote, described it as strategic infrastructure for sovereignty: “The .ng Ambassador Programme provides an opportunity for stakeholders to actively participate in shaping and promoting Nigeria’s digital future.

Together, let us strengthen Nigeria’s digital independence.”
 
Senator Salisu, also Chairman of the West African Parliamentarians Network of Internet Governance, urged NiRA to lead continental efforts to reclaim IP address blocks diverted abroad. He argued that Nigeria, with more JAMB applicants yearly than the population of Gambia, and a data protection commission studied across Africa, is positioned as custodian of the continent’s digital conscience.
 
NITDA reaffirmed its decision to delegate .ng management to NiRA two decades ago, signalling readiness to expand NiRA’s mandate as Nigeria’s digital ecosystem matures.