The President of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), Mr Adesola Akinsanya, says that the association is exploring measures that will make internet domain names more affordable and accessible to small and medium-sized businesses.
Mr Akinsanya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Saturday in Lagos that the initiatives would encourage more Nigerian businesses to establish digital identities using the .ng domain.
He said that NiRA also wanted domain owners to register, renew and secure their domains at affordable rates.
According to him, discounted bundle packages offered by NiRA-accredited registrars are among the measures being promoted.
He said that the packages could combine .com.ng domains with web hosting, one-page websites and other business tools.
“These packages would provide small businesses with the basic resources required to establish an online presence,” Akinsanya said.
He explained that NiRA can also introduce SME domain vouchers for businesses accessing digital services through commerce partners and business associations.
Under the proposed arrangement, participating registrars will provide registration services while NiRA would offer wholesale subsidies to reduce costs.
“The initiative could be implemented through partnerships with SMEDAN, the Bank of Industry and state-level SME agencies,” he said.
Akinsanya also mentioned chambers of commerce and digital-skills programmes as potential partners in the proposed initiative.
He said that NiRA was examining measures to address domain squatting, involving registration of potentially valuable names for resale or blocking legitimate businesses.
According to him, NiRA currently operates a structured process for resolving domain-name disputes.
He said formal complaints could be submitted to the Registry, which facilitates communication between complainants and registrants.
GIK/APA