Nigeria loses $850m yearly from weak digital identity adoption

Nigeria is losing an estimated $850 million each year because of the low adoption of its national digital identity infrastructure, according to the Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA). Stakeholders are urging the country to more strongly utilize its .ng domain to enhance economic and data sovereignty.

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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.

The issue was highlighted at NiRA's third Tech Convergence conference in Abuja, where lawmakers, regulators, and digital economy experts discussed Nigeria's digital independence. NiRA President Adesola Akinsanya clarified that digital independence means building a secure and competitive ecosystem, not isolation. It aims to give Nigeria greater control over its data, infrastructure, and online presence.

Speakers warned that Nigeria's continued reliance on foreign domains, offshore hosting, and non-indigenous digital platforms results in revenue being sent abroad and weakens control over citizens' data. Senator Shuaib Salisu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, emphasized that Nigeria's digital assets are a matter of national security. He drew parallels with global technology rivalries and data governance disputes, stating that dependence on external digital infrastructure leaves the country vulnerable.

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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 described the .ng domain as Nigeria's "digital address" and called for greater national ownership of the country's online identity. NiRA stated that the financial losses stem from limited use of local digital infrastructure, such as domain registration and data hosting. Expanding the adoption of .ng could help retain revenue, improve data security, reduce latency, and stimulate domestic digital industries. Stakeholders also proposed policy reforms to deepen local digital adoption, including mandating .ng domains for businesses and integrating them into national education and public service systems.

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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.