The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) is considering measures to make internet domain names more affordable and accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
NiRA President, Adesola Akinsanya, said the proposed initiatives would encourage more Nigerian businesses to establish digital identities using the .ng domain.
Speaking in an interview in Lagos, Akinsanya said NiRA was also looking at ways to make domain registration, renewal and security more affordable for users.
He said discounted packages from NiRA-accredited registrars could combine .com.ng domains with web hosting, one-page websites and other digital tools to help small businesses establish an online presence.
Akinsanya also proposed SME domain vouchers, which could be offered through business associations and digital-service providers, with possible partnerships involving the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the Bank of Industry and state SME agencies.
He said NiRA was also examining measures to tackle domain squatting, where individuals register potentially valuable domain names for resale or prevent legitimate businesses from obtaining them.
On brand protection, Akinsanya said NiRA could introduce a Brand or Trademark Notification Service to alert verified trademark owners when similar or related names are registered under .ng domains.
He explained that the proposed system would serve as an early-warning mechanism but would not automatically give trademark owners rights over disputed domains.
Akinsanya said NiRA already offers discounts for multi-year domain renewals of between two and five years, adding that early-renewal incentives could further reduce costs and prevent businesses from losing domains after missing expiry deadlines.
He also proposed multiple renewal reminders, including notifications 60, 30, 14 and seven days before expiration.
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On cybersecurity, Akinsanya said NiRA had implemented DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) to protect domains against certain forms of manipulation and fraudulent redirection.
He said the association could expand DNSSEC adoption by providing more training and publishing periodic reports on the level of protection across critical .ng domains and sectors.
Akinsanya added that stronger security standards for accredited registrars could include multi-factor authentication, secure account recovery, domain-transfer safeguards, security logging and regular audits.
He said the proposed measures would reduce barriers to .ng domain adoption while improving security, trust and the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
