CEM REPORT | The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has expressed readiness to enforce the National Second Level Domain Policy.
Hadiza Umar, the Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations, NITDA, said this in a statement issued in Abuja.
She said, the new policy will enhance the confidence of the public in the authenticity and security of information and other services accessed from government-owned websites, adding that the policy aligns with the digital economy initiative.
“The use of generic domains and private emails for government businesses and correspondences impedes the Nigerian government’s identity, security and global recognition on the internet.”
“It will ensure that the government’s drive towards economic diversification and commitment to the development of a robust digital economy are realised.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the National Second Level Domain Policy on February 16, 2022, making it mandatory for all government-owned websites and official email correspondence of all government personnel to comply.
Following the approval of the policy, NITDA has inaugurated a 14-man enforcement committee to monitor its implementation.
According to NITDA, it is mandated by its enabling NITDA Act, 2007 of Second Schedule Section 6(m), to manage and administer Nigeria’s ccTLD (.ng).
“This power gives NITDA the authority to allocate and administer the Nigerian Government Second-Level domains on .gov.ng; .edu.ng; .mil.ng; .sch.ng and any other second-level domain name that may be approved in the future.’’
The agency explained that the Federal Government’s desires to move all its information and services online via the Nigerian Second-Level domains through the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. Stressing that the online presence of the Nigerian government is a strategy for dominance in the digital economy.
The agency, further said 99 per cent of federal MDAs have transited to the .ng domain and have maintained compliance with the Nigeria ccTLD scheme, adding it wasn’t the same with states and local government.
“Unfortunately, it is not the same at the state and local government levels, where 80 per cent of administration websites and mail addresses lack the .ng validation.
Furthermore, the agency said, the inaugurated committee is working on transiting other government website.
“Therefore, the newly inaugurated committee has mapped out a strategy for transitioning all remaining government websites and mail addresses at all levels to .ng domains. NITDA, as a result of this, is requesting that all government websites and email addresses at all levels use the .ng domain henceforth.”
Umar also advise MDAs to transition to the .ng domain.
“We advise that MDAs at all levels should stop using domains from the internet providers or mail providers. NITDA is working with the relevant organizations to ensure that all government institutions have access to dedicated domain names. We are also asking the service providers to support this initiative by ascertaining that any government domain to be registered by them conforms to this directive to ensure the general adoption of .ng.”