Although, the month of December 2014 recorded a drop in the .ng domain name purchase activities by the registrants, so far, as at December 31, 2014, there were 18,870 domain names registered.
According to Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), domain names are not popular gift items, hence there was also a slight decrease in the number of domain names renewed in the same month mainly due to the Christmas and New Year festivals and celebrations.
Interestingly, there was a remarkable increase in the transfer window. This could be traced to entrance of new registrars.
Additional 1,503 domain names were registered, with renewal of 820 domain names and transfer of only 106 domain names.
The total activities of .ng domain names in December 2014, was less than in the month of November 2014. So far this year, as at December 31, 2014, there were 18,870 domain names registered.
The number of NiRA Accredited Registrars remained at 47, with some applications for Registrar registration undergoing processing.
Speaking on the activities of the Association’s activities in the year under review, Mrs. Mary Uduma, the president, said that despite not meeting the set target in 2014 in terms of domain name registrations, the Association witnessed good year with increase in awareness of .ng domain names and domain business in Nigeria.
She said, NiRA saw a growth in the number of Registrars and domain names and setting the stage for more growth in all spheres of the domain name business in Nigeria.
According to Uduma, “NiRA participated in many awareness programmes/ events and hosted events geared at publicity awareness of .ng domain names and .ng ccTLD. NiRA hosted the Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF) in June 2014 and also had the opportunity of hosting Africa in Abuja in July 2014 during the ‘Africa DNS Forum’”.
“NiRA participated actively in the Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) in July 2014 and eNigeria all hosted in Abuja, ‘Nigerian Content Consultative Forum’ at Bayelsa, ‘Standard for IT Park’ at Enugu hosted by NITDA and numerous other progammes in the bid to continue creating the awareness of the .ng ccTLD and its operations. NiRA was also at ICANN, AFTLD, IGF and GITEX events last year.
“NiRA entertained students of Federal University, Dutsin-ma, Katsina State, provided support at ‘Kano ICT Quiz 2014 with CITAD’, ‘Next CEO Youth Empowerment’ at LASU, ‘Global Hope and Justice for the Less Privileged at the training of Nigerian Youths with disability on ICT’, ‘Digital Peers International Programme- Agricultural Transformation using ICT’ and many other numerous local programmes”.
She described the growth of NiRA and domain names as very paramount.
Uduma said, “With the commitment and efforts of NiRA Board of Trustees, Executive Board members, staff, Registrars and Registrants, targets were set to increase the number of domain names and the accreditation of registrars. Reasonable increases and progress were made in the .ng domain name business. Even though the growth of NiRA is commendable, the journey is still far from being the best Registry in Africa”.
She added that he Association is competing in a global market and is set to work more vigorously throughout 2015 and in years ahead towards realizing set goals.
“We will not relent. We shall continue to strive for greater achievements and with God on our side and the support of the industry, we shall get there. NiRA remains committed to the growth of .ng domain names and putting forth our best efforts towards growth of the .ng ccTLD and providing the needed support to our teeming Registrars and by extension to our Registrants”.
She said that NiRA is geared to listening to industry forces and paying attention to global trends and would expand our sales to include opening up other zones and release of two letters word domain names to the public. Also we intend to reduce the number of premium domain names and pleaded industry stakeholders continued support to their programmes.