Nigeria loses $850m yearly from weak digital identity —NiRA

Nigeria is losing an estimated $850m annually due to weak adoption of its national digital identity infrastructure, the Nigerian Internet Registration Association said, as stakeholders called for stronger use of the country’s .ng domain to boost economic and data sovereignty.

The disclosure was made at the third edition of NiRA’s Tech Convergence conference, in Abuja, recently, which brought together lawmakers, regulators, and digital economy stakeholders to discuss Nigeria’s digital independence and the role of policy, digital identity, and the .ng domain in economic growth.

NiRA President Adesola Akinsanya said digital independence should not be confused with isolation from the global internet but rather seen as building a secure and competitive ecosystem that gives Nigeria greater control over its data, infrastructure, and online presence.

“Digital independence does not mean isolation from the global internet. It means a secure, resilient, and competitive digital ecosystem that gives Nigeria greater control over its data, infrastructure, digital identity system, and online presence,” Akinsanya said.

Speakers at the conference warned that Nigeria’s continued reliance on foreign domains, offshore hosting, and non-indigenous digital platforms is not only exporting revenue but also weakening jurisdictional control over citizens’ data.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Senator Shuaib Salisu, said Nigeria’s digital assets should be treated as a matter of national security, drawing parallels with global technology rivalries and data governance disputes.

He argued that the country’s dependence on external digital infrastructure leaves it vulnerable, stressing the importance of strengthening control over the .ng domain.

“We may have the Navy to protect our marine borders. Our Air Force may be free in the air to protect our airspace. But your data is somewhere in China. We are vulnerable as a people,” Salisu noted.

The senator described the .ng domain as Nigeria’s “digital address” and urged greater national ownership of the country’s online identity.

“Why would a nation physically residing in Nigeria give its contact address as France? This is our address, and no one should be allowed to take it from us,” he added.

NiRA said the losses stem from Nigeria’s limited use of local digital infrastructure, including domain registration, data hosting, and digital services, which instead route economic value to foreign jurisdictions.

The association said expanding adoption of .ng could help retain revenue, improve data security, reduce latency, and stimulate domestic cloud and digital infrastructure industries.

Stakeholders at the conference also called for policy reforms to deepen local digital adoption, including proposals to mandate .ng domains for businesses and integrate them into national education and public service systems.

Senator Salisu proposed requiring .ng email addresses for JAMB applicants and making .ng domains a prerequisite for corporate registration and access to government-backed programmes, arguing that such measures would strengthen Nigeria’s digital sovereignty.

The conference also highlighted plans for a new .ng Ambassador Programme aimed at driving awareness and adoption of Nigeria’s national domain across government, industry, and academia.

NiRA said the initiative is intended to build a network of advocates to promote digital identity adoption and support Nigeria’s broader digital economy ambitions.

Organisers said the conference underscored growing consensus among policymakers and industry players that Nigeria must accelerate efforts to “own, govern, and expand” its digital identity infrastructure to secure long-term economic benefits.