Again, .ng Domain Name Registration, Renewal Slide to 178,813 in June, after Reaching 179,420 in May 

Emma Okonji

After a slight increase from 179,336 in April to 179,420 in May this year, Nigeria’s .ng domain name registration, renewal and restoration, suffered a slight decrease as the total number dropped again to 178,813 in June this year, according to recent statistics released by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the body responsible for managing Nigeria’s country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD).

The statistics, which THISDAY obtained from the official website of NiRA, showed that in May 2022, total registration of domain name was 5,866, renewal was 4,863, while restoration was 122. From the additional registration, renewal and restoration in May, the active third level domain name increased to 114,647, while the active second level domain name increased to 64,773, which brought the total number of active domain name in May 2022 to 179,420. 

The .ng domain name figure however dropped in June 2022 to 178,813, showing a slight decrease in the total number of active .ng domain name users. Details according to the released statistics, showed 5,926 domain name registration, 4,936 domain name renewal, with 127 domain name restoration in June this year. With the additional registration, renewal and restoration of domain name in June 2022, the active third level domain name was 111,351, while the active second level domain name was 67,462, which brought the total number of active domain name in June 2022 to 178,813, which is a decrease from the 179,420 active domain name attained in May this year.

Although there was an increase in the number of registration, renewal and restoration in June, compared with the number of registration, renewal and restoration in May this year, but the total number of active third level domain name dropped by over 3,000 to reach 111,351 in June, after reaching 114,647 in May this year, which was the major factor for the decline in .ng domain name figure in June this year.

According to the statistics, registration alone in May this year was 5,866, but in June, the registration was 5,926. Renewal in May this year was 4,863, but in June, renewal was 4,936. Restoration in May this year was 112, but in June, restoration was 127, which are indications that more .ng users registered, renewed and restored their domain names in June, compared with the figures recorded in May this year.    

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, they end 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. 

Reacting to the increased number of registration, renewal and restoration of.ng domain in the month of June, even though the total number of active .ng domain name users dropped in the same month, 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.