Nigeria’s digital identity gap costs economy $850m per year

…As FG considers .ng mandate for 2.5m JAMB applicants

Nigeria is losing an estimated $850 million annually due to its continued dependence on foreign digital platforms, domains and offshore data hosting, a development that has intensified calls for stronger digital sovereignty measures and wider adoption of the country’s .ng domain.

The disclosure emerged at the Tech Convergence 3.0 conference organised by the Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA) in Abuja, where lawmakers, regulators and industry leaders agreed that Nigeria must take greater control of its digital identity, infrastructure and data.

Stakeholders warned that the country’s reliance on foreign domains and cloud infrastructure is not only exporting revenue but also limiting Nigeria’s control over citizens’ data and critical digital assets.

Speaking at the event, Adesola Akinsanya, president of NiRA, said digital independence should not be mistaken for isolation from the global internet. Rather, he described it as building a secure and resilient digital ecosystem that allows Nigeria to retain greater control over its data, infrastructure, digital identity systems and online presence.

Read also: There will be equal opportunities for all civil servants – Oyo’s new HoS pledges

The conference also unveiled proposals that could significantly expand the adoption of the .ng domain across the country.

Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, proposed that all candidates registering for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations should be required to obtain .ng email addresses.

With more than 2.5 million candidates registering annually for JAMB examinations, stakeholders believe the move could rapidly expand Nigeria’s indigenous digital identity ecosystem.

The senator also advocated mandatory .ng domain adoption for Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)-registered businesses, beneficiaries of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), and applicants seeking support from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

According to him, the .ng domain should be viewed not merely as a web address but as a strategic national asset with implications for economic growth, cybersecurity and national security.

Drawing comparisons with global battles over data sovereignty, Salisu argued that nations that fail to control their digital infrastructure remain vulnerable in an increasingly data-driven world.

“We may have the Navy to protect our marine borders and the Air Force to protect our airspace, but our data is somewhere else. We are vulnerable as a people, and that is why this conversation is important,” he said.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reinforced the case for local digital infrastructure, noting that hosting data within Nigeria could improve accessibility, reduce latency, strengthen data protection and stimulate investment in local cloud services and data centres.

The conference also witnessed the launch of the .ng Ambassador Programme, an initiative designed to recruit influential advocates across government, academia, industry and civil society to promote the adoption of Nigeria’s country code domain.

Read also: NiRA pushes policy shift to make .ng default for businesses

Meanwhile, both the Senate and House Committees on ICT and Cybersecurity pledged legislative support for initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy. Lawmakers are committed to advancing the National Digital Economy and E-Government Bill, as well as a revised cybersecurity framework aligned with international standards.

Stakeholders said the combination of stronger policies, local infrastructure investments and wider .ng adoption could help Nigeria retain more digital value within its economy while strengthening trust in its growing digital ecosystem.

For many participants at the conference, the challenge goes beyond domain registration. It is about ensuring that Africa’s largest economy owns its digital address, controls its data and captures more value from the rapidly expanding digital economy.