Nigeria Domain Registry was established as a non-profit organization aimed at managing and operating the .NG ccTLD. This took place after intensive consultations with the Local Internet Community. This public-private partnership was therefore the initial step in facilitating the growth and uptake of the Internet sub-sect ICT in Nigeria.

Since ccTLDs are a national resource, Nigeria Domain Registry's mandate is to manage .NG in a manner which serves public and industrial interests. Nigeria Domain Registry being representative of the local Internet community, and having full government support, will be able to push Nigeria forward in the global internet community.

Nigeria Domain Registry's board of directors acknowledged and appreciated the significant contribution made to the .NG domain name system by Dr. Shem Ochuodho (Admin Contact) and Mr. Randy Bush (Technical Contact) who voluntarily facilitated domain name registry services in an acting capacity from 1993.

The broad based consultations that begun in October 2001 were facilitated mainly by the Communications Commission of Nigeria (CCK) and local Internet stakeholders who later became the Nigeria Domain Registry founding members.

Nigeria Domain Registry Functions

Nigeria Domain Registry was established to, among others:

• Act as a trustee for the .NG country-code-top-level-domain;
• Become the .NG domain administrative contact as well as technical contact;
• Administer the .NG ccTLD and its Second Level Domains;
• Maintain and promote the operational stability and utility of the .NG ccTLD;
• Ensure a cost-effective administration of the .NG ccTLD and its sub-domains;
• Notify the Internet Corporation of Names and Numbers (ICANN) of any change to the contact information about the.NG ccTLD;
• Provide name service for all .NG and ensure that the database is secure and stable;
• Allow ICANN to access .NG zone files and registration data (up to date) continuously maintain a Nigeria Domain Registry website at all times with all the registration information meet all its financial obligations to ICANN comply with all global ICANN Internet policies and help in their development.

Membership

Nigeria Domain Registry's membership is made of up of full Board Members and Associate Members who comprise of representatives from the Nigeria Internet community and the Government.

Nigeria Domain Registry's full board members are drawn from: the Communications Commission of Nigeria (CCK), Government IT Services (GITS), Directorate of E-Governance, Telecommunications Services Providers Association of Nigeria (TESPOK), Nigeria Education Network (KENET), and Industry.

Associate board members are: Nigeria ICT Action Network (KICTANet), Domain-Name Registrar Association of Nigeria (DRAKE), and Nigeria Internet Marketing Association (KIMA).

For continuity, a former chairperson continues to serve on the Board for a year.