Telecom
AfriTECH2021: NiRA Describes .NG Platform Unique for Brands Positioning
The .ng domain name has been described as a platform for unique positioning of brands and products online.
Cross section of speakers and panelists at Africa Tech Alliance Forum AfriTECH2021 held in Lagos (Nigeria) recently
Mr Muhammed Rudman, president, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), stated this at the 2021 Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH2021) held in Lagos, Nigeria recently.
Rudman represented by Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata “CFA”, a director at NiRA, said that .ng domain name enables the connection of businesses to the entire world, making it possible for you to reach out to people irrespective of where they are, and showcase your skills, products and dreams.
Similarly, the NiRA’s President emphasised the need for increased internal dependence in Nigeria through improved local investments in the startup ecosystem.
He said that while most celebrated companies in the country are funded by foreigners, there is an urgent need to balance the investment portfolios to prevent future capital flights.
“These companies are all foreign-led and foreign-dominated, which we are thankful for because if those foreigners don’t bring the money, we’d probably not have these companies so we are thankful for that,” he said.
“But how can we now make the transformation in order to start building local resources in some of these companies?”
The answer given by Rudman was simply “practical and efficient ways of doing things”.
The resource you can get from your investment is almost predictable and that’s the beauty of how you deal with technology.
“Technology is an enabler, it’s a leveller, it levels the playing field,” Rudman reiterated.
All skills can be learnt at any level. Irrespective of who you are or where you are, you have the opportunity and what you need is access to the Internet.
“The good thing is that broadband penetration is growing and so we have all the indices we’ve been working for as a country. That is why we should be more calculative in ensuring that digital transformation has come to stay.
Explaining the essence of the .ng domain, Rudman explained that it gives businesses identity online and separates them from the cluster of others, especially on social media.
“Social media is amazing but if you’re a business owner it will be wise to own your uniqueness so people can reach out to you.”
Giving an instance, he pointed out the issue encountered by Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp recently, where all the platforms were shut down due to technical issue (already resolved).
“Business owners who only rely on Instagram for their sales probably had to rethink the fact that anything can still happen in the future,” he said.
“The .ng domain is a platform for the unique positioning of your product. It enables the connection of businesses to the entire world, making it possible for you to reach out to people irrespective of where they are, and showcase your skills, products and dreams.
“The .ng domain is NiRA’s national brand and the company encourages small businesses to start with the domain so as to thrive seamlessly.
“I want to encourage everyone because we all have a collective responsibility to ensure we build the digital economy. At the end of the day, it is our responsibility to build the economy,” he told participants at AfriTECH2021.
Conclusively, he said: “A lot more is still possible, we need more collaboration and we need to be much more celebrated about what we do with the opportunities available.”
Mazen Mroue, a non-executive director at MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, has resigned effective February 27, 2026, to prioritise other responsibilities within the MTN Group, the company announced in a Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) filing.
MTN Nigeria
The notice, signed by company secretary Uto Ukpanah, stated: “This is to enable Mr. Mroue to focus on other priorities within MTN Group Limited. The Board wishes to express its appreciation to Mr. Mroue for his immense service to MTN Nigeria and wishes him success in his future endeavours.”
Mroue joined MTN Nigeria’s board on June 1, 2022, bringing over 28 years of telecom experience. A veteran MTN executive, he previously served as CEO of MTN Uganda and MTN Liberia, non-executive director at MTN Cyprus, and held leadership roles at MTN Ghana.
Since February 2022, he has been MTN Group’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, overseeing technology strategy and governance. Earlier, as MTN Nigeria’s COO from August 2018 to January 2022, he also sat on the MTN Nigeria Foundation board.
The exit follows MTN Nigeria’s stellar 2025 results, posting a ₦1.70 trillion profit before tax—reversing a ₦550.3 billion loss in 2024 driven by forex woes—marking one of the telco’s strongest rebounds.
Google has rolled out support for Yorùbá and Hausa languages in its AI-powered Search features—AI Overviews and AI Mode—enabling millions of Nigerians to get quick answers, summaries, and conversational web exploration in their mother tongues.
The update forms part of Google’s push to cover 13 African languages, including Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, and isiZulu, selected based on high search activity across the continent.
Now, a Kano student can ask complex questions in Hausa, while an Ibadan trader seeks business tips in Yorùbá—both receiving culturally nuanced AI responses via text or voice on Android, iOS, or web.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, said: “Building truly global Search requires nuanced local understanding. With Gemini-powered AI, we’ve made advanced capabilities relevant in Yorùbá and Hausa, so Nigerians converse naturally with Search in their mother tongues.”
To use: Open the Google app, tap AI Mode, and query in Hausa or Yorùbá for personalised guidance—breaking language barriers and making technology reflect Nigeria’s diverse identity.
MultiChoice is closing its continental streaming platform Showmax after 11 years, notifying subscribers Thursday of the board’s decision to discontinue the service in the near future to refocus on sustainable digital offerings.
MultiChoice
The email assured no immediate disruption: “You can continue streaming as usual, and no action is required from you at this time.” Showmax, launched in South Africa in 2015 and expanded across Africa, offered movies, series, documentaries, and sports to rival Netflix and others amid rising online entertainment demand.
The shutdown follows Canal+’s approved takeover of MultiChoice last year, with the French giant offering ZAR 125 per share for remaining stakes.
The deal mandates HDP ownership boosts, local content investment, and splitting MultiChoice’s SA broadcasting arm into an independent entity to meet regulations.
MultiChoice prioritised subscribers during the transition, promising advance notice on timelines.
Showmax’s exit signals consolidation pressures in Africa’s cut-throat streaming market, where global players dominate despite local content strengths.
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