Nigeria Ranks Low in IPv6 Visibility on Internet

There are just four telecommunications networks in Nigeria using internet protocol version 6 (IPv6), the latest communications protocol, out of 103 Autonomous Systems (Ases) coming from the country as at the end of June, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek has learnt.

Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is the latest version of the Internet Protocol (IP), the communications protocol that provides an identification and location system for computers on networks and routes traffic across the Internet.

According to a survey conducted by Mohammed Rudman, chairman, Nigeria IPv6 Council, and obtained by Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, the four networks whose Ases are active includes MainOne Cable Company, Internet Solution Limited, Nigerian Research and Education Network and ipNX Nigeria Limited. More so, the protocol is partial at KKON Technologies and FBN capital.

He attributed this development to lack of technical know-how, core equipment compatibility issues, lack of IPv6 upstream service providers in the country and non-requests from end users among others.

Reacting to this development, Engr. Lanre Ajayi, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said “A lot of the networks do not see the need or benefit to migrate even as they have the equipment, if the regulatory body gives a period for migration it will be of a great help,” he said.

He also identified lack of trained network engineers that will manage IPv6 networks.”

It is against this backdrop that ATCON in partnership with AFRINIC have been organizing IPv6 training for network engineers for the past four year to provide qualified engineers in the industry for smooth migration from IPv4 to IPv6,” he added.