Nigeria is not participating sufficiently in decisions governing Africa’s internet resources, raising concerns about the country’s influence over critical infrastructure and policies that support digital connectivity, Muhammed Rudman, MD/CEO IXPN, has warned.

Rudman made the observation at the Internet Governance 2026 Symposium, where he urged Nigerian internet service providers, businesses and technical professionals to become more involved in the management of internet protocol (IP) addresses, domain names and other resources that underpin global internet operations.

The CEO of Nigeria’s local internet registry identified the African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC), the regional internet registry responsible for distributing internet number resources across Africa and the Indian Ocean region, as a key platform through which Nigerian stakeholders can participate in decisions affecting the continent’s internet infrastructure.

IP addresses are numerical identifiers that enable devices and networks to communicate over the internet. They are allocated through a coordinated system involving regional internet registries, making participation in the organisations responsible for managing these resources important to internet service providers and network operators. Rudman said Nigeria was among the significant holders of internet resources in Africa but was not making sufficient contributions to the processes through which those resources are managed.

Rudman made the observation at the Internet Governance 2026 Symposium, where he urged Nigerian internet service providers, businesses and technical professionals to become more involved in the management of internet protocol (IP) addresses, domain names and other resources that underpin global internet operations.

He identified the African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC), the regional internet registry responsible for distributing internet number resources across Africa and the Indian Ocean region, as a key platform through which Nigerian stakeholders can participate in decisions affecting the continent’s internet infrastructure.

“But unfortunately, we are not really participating when it comes to management of the IP resources in AfriNIC,” Rudman said.

IP addresses are numerical identifiers that enable devices and networks to communicate over the internet. They are allocated through a coordinated system involving regional internet registries, making participation in the organisations responsible for managing these resources important to internet service providers and network operators.

Rudman said Nigeria was among the significant holders of internet resources in Africa but was not making sufficient contributions to the processes through which those resources are managed.

He also encouraged Nigerian stakeholders to participate in the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which coordinates the global domain-name system and helps ensure the stable operation of the internet’s unique identifiers.

IXPN CEO flags Nigeria’s limited participation in policy decisions

Rudman said the problem extended beyond internet infrastructure to the broader process of developing policies that affect the internet industry.

He recalled attending discussions on IP resource allocation in Angola in 2019, where he encountered young Nigerians contributing to policy discussions despite being unfamiliar to him as a participant in Nigeria’s internet industry.

“I run the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, and I know all the major ISPs, and I happen to be part of NIRA, I know everybody that is related. And Nigerians were not there,” he said, referring to his experience at the meeting.

The experience prompted him to question the representation of Nigerian participants at the discussions and how their participation was being supported.

Rudman said Nigerian organisations needed to recognise that decisions taken within regional and global internet governance institutions could affect how resources were allocated, technical standards were developed and internet services were operated.

“I run the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, and I know all the major ISPs, and I happen to be part of NIRA, I know everybody that is related. And Nigerians were not there,” he said, referring to his experience at the meeting.

He warned that organisations that failed to participate risked being left out of decisions they would eventually have to implement.

“If you participate in the policy process, you don’t get shock. You don’t get surprises,” he said.

The warning highlights the importance of sustained engagement by Nigerian internet service providers, network operators and other businesses in institutions responsible for the development and management of internet resources.

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Awareness gap keeps businesses away

Rudman attributed the low level of participation partly to limited awareness of internet governance and its relevance to businesses.

He cited a survey conducted by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which found that 66% of respondents identified lack of awareness as a barrier to participation.

He also said 40% of surveyed organisations had never participated in internet governance processes, while 20% had participated during the preceding two to three years.

According to Rudman, other obstacles included the absence of internal mandates, limited executive support, unclear business benefits, technical complexity, time commitments and the cost of participation.

He argued that companies often prioritised short-term business objectives without adequately considering the long-term implications of policies developed through internet governance processes.

Rudman urged organisations to identify the relevant internet governance bodies for their sectors and participate consistently rather than attending only occasional conferences.

He specifically encouraged internet service providers to engage with AFRINIC and called on stakeholders to contribute to the Nigerian Internet Governance Forum and the Internet Governance Working Group.

He also noted that participation in international internet governance meetings was not necessarily limited to physical attendance, as some events provide opportunities for virtual participation.

IXPN CEO on building Nigeria’s influence

Rudman explained that internet governance involves several interconnected institutions and stakeholder groups responsible for different aspects of the internet.

While AFRINIC manages the allocation of internet number resources within its service region, ICANN coordinates the global domain-name system and related unique identifiers. Technical organisations, including the Internet Engineering Task Force, develop and maintain internet standards.

He said stakeholders could contribute to these processes through national, regional and global platforms, allowing concerns raised in Nigeria to inform wider discussions.

Under the approach he described, issues can be discussed through the Nigerian Internet Governance Forum before being taken to the West African Internet Governance Forum and the African Internet Governance Forum, where relevant concerns can feed into global discussions.

Rudman urged Nigerian businesses to identify the forums most relevant to their operations and contribute to the development of policies affecting their sectors.

He also pointed to the potential benefits of stronger collaboration between regulators and industry stakeholders, citing Brazil’s internet governance model as an example of how coordinated engagement can support the development of an internet ecosystem.

For Nigeria, greater participation in internet governance would give businesses and technical professionals more opportunities to contribute their expertise, understand emerging policy changes and engage with organisations responsible for critical internet resources.

Rudman’s call comes amid continuing efforts to broaden stakeholder participation in internet governance, with awareness, sustained engagement and a clearer understanding of business interests identified as important factors in strengthening Nigeria’s role in the management of Africa’s internet resources.