E-Business
Encouraging IT Professionalism For The Benefit Of the Common Man
It is a known fact that no serious economy can develop without IT. All the more technologically advanced countries have been known to leverage on IT.
The case of Nigeria cannot be different. It would be repeating the obvious to say that this country has enormous potentials and resources in IT for it to be reckoned with in the comity of nations, but we have not been able to harness this resources and potentials into a structured and patterned developmental process.
What we have presently are pockets of IT solutions and applications developed by few professionals, more for personal gains than national good.
And I think that it is time we begin to approach addressing national infrastructural challenges and development using IT differently.
There is need for synergy among IT professionals practicing in the Country. The open source development model should be explored.
Encouraging Professionalism For The Benefit Of The Common Man
The IT profession, globally, knowledge-based as it is, no doubt, has become an all-comers affair.
In Nigeria, the profession is probably the most abused. It is so bad that anybody that can press a few keys on a computer will claim to be a professional. Some have even turned it into a kind of trade that you learn.
There are at least two informal computer training institutions on every street in the Country.
These institutions use curricula that are neither defined in content nor standardized by any authority.
Yet they award all sorts of certificates, diplomas and even degrees in some cases. Even the so-called formal institutions are equally guilty.
Some of them still use curricula that are not only obsolete and outdated but also out of tune with reality. Some of them do not have even the most basic of laboratory equipment.
There are computer science departments in some of our tertiary institutions with graduates of other disciplines as heads.
All these to me are a mockery of any serious attempt at taking advantage of our IT industry for national development.
The IT industry is what some developed nations have leveraged upon and are today dictating the pace of the world.
If we are really serious about development as a nation, the attitude to the industry has to change drastically.
I have noticed in this Country that the issue is usually not that of identification of the problem, neither is it proffering the solution but the aggregate will of the people to make a change.
There is also the problem of the political will by decision makers to implement solutions. The myriad of problems in the country will persist as long as these two attitudes remain.
There is a definite need to professionalize the IT industry for optimal benefits.
The industry is too sensitive and strategic to any meaningful development to be left unregulated. We need to start by defining the terms, just like it is done in other serious professions.
There must be set standards to be attained before being recognized as a professional. These professionals must then be given set goals and targets. We also need to define our national IT needs, goals and objectives.
The professionals must then be encouraged to come up realizable and workable approach to tackling our national infrastructural and developmental challenges.
The poor power supply situation in the country today, the very erratic and almost unreliable telecommunications service and the seeming intractable daily security challenges are a sad reflection of our uncoordinated approach to the potentials available in our IT industry.
The IT industry in the country needs to be coordinated, organized and focused. The players in the industry need to come together and synergize, else the foreign companies will continue to dominate and take advantage.
The efforts of NITDA in terms of encouraging local content in the IT industry should energize and challenge the professionals.
There should be concerted effort to sanitize the industry, so that quacks and briefcase-carrying impostors leave the profession.
There should be adequate recognition and reward for the professionals. There should be preference for locally developed solutions to foreign ones that can do the same things. All these will further encourage the professionals to be more productive and this will ultimately benefit the nation and our dear common man.
Finally, I think it is time we begin to invest seriously in research and development, so that we can reduce our dependence on foreign ready-made products and solutions. We have the resources, what we probably need to pray for is the will.
A paper delivered by Mr. Sikiru Shehu, registrar, Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria) at Nigerian DigitalSENSE Forum 2014 held in Lagos on 5th & 6th June, 2014.
The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) presents its report on .ng domain name registration and renewal statistics for the first quarter of 2025, highlighting the continued expansion of Nigeria’s digital footprint. The data underscores a consistent and significant adoption of the nation’s Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD), reinforcing its pivotal role in the burgeoning Nigerian digital economy.
During the period spanning January to March 2025, a total of 40,791 .ng domain names were recorded. This figure comprises 22,236 new registrations and 18,555 renewals, indicating a healthy balance between the acquisition of new digital identities and the sustained commitment of existing domain name holders to their online presence.
Analysis of the registration trends within the quarter reveals a notable upward trajectory, with a 13.92% increase in domain name registrations observed between February and March 2025.
This growth signifies an increasing recognition of the importance of a localized online identity by a diverse range of stakeholders, including individuals, startups, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), and larger organizations.
Notably, the .com.ng extension continues to be the dominant choice, accounting for over 60% of both new registrations and renewals. This reaffirms its status as the preferred domain name extension for Nigerian businesses seeking to establish a credible and locally relevant online brand presence while maintaining global accessibility. The sustained popularity of .com.ng underscores its perceived value among Nigerian entrepreneurs and enterprises seeking to secure their digital real estate.
This upward trajectory isn’t happening by chance. The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has remained intentional in its drive for digital inclusion and domain adoption. Through public education, training via the .ng Academy, outreach campaigns, and partnerships with stakeholders across the tech ecosystem, NiRA has consistently advocated for the importance of owning a local domain. The current standing of .ng as the second most registered ccTLD in Africa reflects the efficacy of these efforts.
Digital adoption in Nigeria is no longer just about being online—it’s about owning your digital identity. And with a .ng domain, Nigerians are better positioned to assert that identity, connect with local and international audiences, and gain better control over their digital footprints.
As we look toward the rest of 2025, the Q1 results serve as a strong signal: more people are embracing the digital future, and the .ng domain is increasingly becoming their first step.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) of Nigeria has launched a new digital identity verification tool called the NIN Authentication (NINAuth) application.
The initiative, which forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aims to strengthen the country’s national digital identity management framework.
The launch builds upon Nigeria’s comprehensive unified digital identity system that has been transforming access to financial services and government programs.
The NINAuth application introduces several key features focused on data security and privacy.
The platform requires explicit user consent before sharing identity information for Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, giving individuals greater control over their personal data.
The system provides seamless access to various government services, including SIM card registration, immigration applications, passport processing, tax filings, and financial transactions.
The development follows significant investment in Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure, including a $45.5 million support from the World Bank as part of the Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project.
As the official service for integration with NIMC’s backend infrastructure, NINAuth enables secure verification processes across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
The application is available for download on both the Google Play Store and Apple iOS App Store for users of the National Identification Number (NIN).
The rollout represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to digitize government services and strengthen identity verification processes.
“NINAuth is a cutting-edge suite of services including web, API, and mobile verification designed to enhance data security, protect privacy, and simplify access to government services,” said Dr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC.
“The platform introduces a robust layer of protection, empowering individuals with greater control over their personal information.”
The implementation supports the objectives of the recently established Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project Ecosystem Steering Committee, which oversees the country’s digital identity initiatives.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the launch of the NINAuth app and directed its use for verification and authentication across all MDAs.
The application provides a secure single sign-on solution for accessing government services and social protection programs while maintaining strict data privacy controls.
The centralized approach to digital identity management represents a significant step forward in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey and its commitment to modernizing government services.
Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has set in motion a machinery to checkmate the booming copyright piracy market in the country.
Copyright piracy is said to cost Nigeria an annual loss estimated at billions of naira.
Despite the absence of a coordinated or official statistics to gauge the quantum of loss, John Asein, director general, NCC, said as far back as 2019, Nigeria lost N918 trillion ($3 billion) annually to digital piracy.
The financial damages severely impact local businesses and innovation efforts.
The commission, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), has started a project to develop strategies and tools to address the menace.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on the WIPO project to address online copyright piracy in Nigeria, Asein said digital technologies have unlocked tremendous opportunities for the creative and innovation sectors.
The NCC boss said technology also poses serious challenges, including online piracy, which he said is growing rapidly.
He said: “Pirate sites continue to emerge rapidly, with statistics indicating a 6.7 per cent increase in user visits. A significant percentage of these users are students aged between 18 and 24, with social media and messaging platforms becoming major gateways for accessing pirated content.”
He added: “No industry is immune. The most affected sectors include television (43.6 per cent), publishing (27.5 per cent), film (12.9 per cent), music (7.0 per cent), and software (6.2 per cent).
“Far beyond mere statistics, the victims are no longer only foreign right owners. Many Nigerians in these sectors have also been bruised and their creative enterprises ruined.”
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