By Benjamin Umuteme, Abuja
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has warned that ot hesitate to sanction any Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) that continues to use Generic Top Level Domain (gTLD), other than the .gov.ng.
In a statement signed by Director-General, NITDA, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, the agency, as part of efforts to ensure compliance would carry out regular evaluation of government websites in collaboration with relevant agencies.
“The management of has observed the disregard to the use of .gov.ng domain in the transaction of government business despite previous press statements by the agency.
“NITDA will henceforth ensure strict compliance with the directive by ensuring that all government business transactions are strictly carried out on the Country Code Top Level Domain of the Nigerian government(ccTLD.ng).
To this end, the NITDA boss said the Agency will ensure that all request for .gov.ng domain are verified and approved within 24hours provided all conditions are met, and the provision of a Special Purpose 24/7 mobile phone number (+2348140504418) for responses to enquiries and technical support. “Furthermore, .gov.ng domain names are free with no rental or renewal cost attached,” Dr. Pantami said.
The Agency therefore appealed to MDAs and service providers to support the federal government’s effort of moving Nigeria up on the scale of “ease of doing business” by ensuring that all government websites are only hosted on the .gov.ng as it will promote government service delivery in the country.
By Section 6(l) of the NITDA Act, the Agency is empowered to renders advisory services in all Information Technology matters to the public and private sectors. It is also mandated “to ensure internet governance and supervision of the mamnagement of the country code to-level domain (cctld.ng) on behalf of Nigerians,” the statement added.
