Domain Name Registration, Renewal Increased Slightly from 179,336 to 179,420 in May

Emma Okonji

Nigeria has experienced a slight increase in domain name registration, renewal and restoration, including the total number of domains in the third and second level categories, from 179, 336 active domain names in April to 179,420 active domain names in May 2022, the latest statistics released by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the body responsible for managing Nigeria’s country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD), has revealed.

The statistics, which THISDAY obtained from the official website of NiRA, showed that in March 2022, total registration of domain name was 6,242, renewal was 5,190, while restoration was 118. The third level active domain name was 119,573, while the second level active domain name was 59,166, which brought the total number of active domain name in March 2022 to 178,739. 

The .ng domain name figure however increased in May 2022 to 179,420, showing a slight increase. Details according to the released statistics, showed 5,866 domain name registration, 4,863 domain name renewal, with 112 restoration. Within the same period in May 2022, third level active domain name was 114,647, while the second level active domain name was 64,773, which brought the total number of active domain name in May 2022 to 179,420. 

The ccTLD .ng domain name is Nigeria’s identity in cyberspace, which has the .ng at the suffix of every official email address that originates from Nigeria. In the United Kingdom, official email addresses end with .co.uk, in United States of America, it ends with .com, while in South Africa, official email addresses end with .co.za.

In Nigeria, NiRA has carried out several campaigns to sensitise Nigerians on the need to populate .ng domain name, which is Nigeria’s identity in cyberspace. 

Pleased with the slight increase in domain name registration and renewal, the President of NiRA, Mr. Mohammed Rudman, told THISDAY that Nigerians were beginning to understand the need to identify with .ng domain name for every online transaction and communication. 

THISDAY had last month, exclusively reported a slide in .ng domain name registration and renewal of previous months, a development that Rudman had blamed on the adverse effect of COVID-19 that paralysed businesses 2021.

The total active .ng domain name in the country, decreased from 180,763 domain in March 2021, to 178,739 domain in March 2022, with a further deep in April 2022, before rising slightly to 179,420 in May 2022. 

According to Rudman, “All those that registered in 2020, could not use the domain name in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic and as such, they did not renew their registration in 2021 and new registration also dropped in 2021 for ccTLD .ng domain name.”

He however attributed last month’s slight increase in domain registration and renewal, to the continuous sensitisation campaigns carried out by NiRA, as well as the slash in the cost of .ng domain name by 40 per cent, which NiRA introduced in March this year, but took effect from April this year. 

According to Rudman, “The decision to reduce the cost of .ng domain name by 40 per cent was made by the NiRA board of directors after reviewing the slow growth trajectory of .ng domain names across the country over the last two years.

“The board’s decision to lower the cost of .ng domain name was communicated to NiRA’s accredited registrars, who are in charge of .ng domain name registration, renewal, and restoration. The move to slash cost of .ng domain name became necessary, due to NiRA’s 3R model (Registry, Registrar, and Registrant), which means that it does not sell domain to the general public, since all registrations go through its registrars, ”Rudman further said.