Nigeria’s internet domain name manager says an interim price cut will help local businesses migrate online in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Nigeria Internet Registration (NiRA), which manages the .ng ccTLD that identifies the country on the internet, flagged off price cuts in August this year expected to last for three months.
Mr. Muhammed Rudman, President of NiRA says the price cuts will enable businesses to go online and operate profitably on the internet following the tougher economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected economies across the world, including Nigeria.
“These are challenging times for many businesses. The changes were necessitated not only by the world’s responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also because of the perception that the world may go into a recession because of the economic effects of the pandemic. It is more important now than ever, that these businesses can continue to conduct their businesses as profitably as possible. This can be achieved by having a robust online presence”, Rudman says in a statement announcing the price cuts.
According to NiRA, the .ng price cuts approved by its Board went live August 24 and ends Novemeber 20, and members of the public can participate by visiting www.register.ng to view the list of participating NiRA Accredited Registrars.
Rudman says, “the response has been inspiring and I am grateful to the NiRA Executive Board for their foresight in driving such an intervention as well as the team at the NiRA Secretariat for exceptional delivery and the NiRA Accredited Registrars for their active participation.”
In the wake of the announcement, some Accredited Registrars of NiRA numbering 67 have started campaigns to drive the uptake of the Nigerian internet domain name, the NiRA President says.
“As we head into the final quarter of a year that has challenged us as human beings, we are hopeful for the impending triumph of the world against this deadly coronavirus and grateful for all the work that is going into the instrument of that triumph, the vaccine. All is not lost, we are grateful to those in the frontlines and continue to pray for them and their families. Meanwhile, for the safety of all, we must continue to adhere to the non-pharmaceutical interventions as outlined by the experts”, he says.