E-Business
ICANN’s Report Shows African DNS Market Worth $52m
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has released its Final Report on Africa Domain Name System (DNS) Market Study.
The study serves as part of ICANN’s outreach efforts to support and improve the regional DNS industry.
The report is the first of its kind in the region, which includes 54 countries and shows that there are, as of May 2017, some 5.1 million domain names associated with Africa. The total annual value of the African Domain Name market is some $52 million.
African DNS Market
The African continent top level DNS address space consists of 54 top level country code ccTLDs, (of which one, Southern Sudan (SS) is not yet delegated) plus five Internationalised Domain Names (IDNs): Egypt (مصر ,(Algeria (الجزائر ,(Tunisia (تونس ,(Sudan (سودان (and Morocco (المغرب (as well as three city codes (.CAPETOWN, .DURBAN and .JOBURG).
ICANN recently delegated the .AFRICA domain to the South African administrator, the ZA Central Registry (ZACR), and registrations will be fully open in July, 2017.
Analysis of the responses shows that at least 46% of Registries offer non-Latin scripts and more than a third of Registrars (34%) do.
Data from May 2017 indicates that a total of just over 3.5 million domains are active under the African ccTLDs10 .
There are about 1.4 million registrations in the gTLDs by African entities. Key findings of the research show approximately 1% of gTLD domains are registered by Africans.
Over the last six months (November 2016 – May 2017), African ccTLD domains have increased by 21%.
However, almost all (93%) of this increase was in fact in the four Freenom ‘domain hack’ countries. Nevertheless, the statistics quoted in the remainder of this Report are based on the November 2016 figure of 2.9 million ccTLD domain names. Registrations by Africans of gTLD domains total approximately 1.4 million, the bulk of which is ~1.2 million .COM domains.
The research indicates that high access costs, the lack of infrastructure and the fact that African Internet access is primarily via mobile devices results in a lower demand for domain names than elsewhere.
This was confirmed by responses to the survey, with respondents citing high prices as the biggest barrier to the development of the DNS market in most African countries followed by lack of infrastructure. Other broader issues identified as high barriers by respondents include poor dependability of Internet connections and unclear or restrictive policy and regulatory environments.
In addition, the research analysed the relationship, if any, between a country’s ranking in relation to levels of freedom (using rankings by Freedom House and IIAG) and the number of domains registered.
According to this, citizens of “free” countries in Africa register some 22 times as many domains as citizens in countries ranked “not free”. Domain name registration by African entities takes place mainly in countries where the local hosting industry and web development sector has developed sufficiently to create demand for local domains, i.e. mostly in South Africa, Egypt, Mauritius, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tunisia and Morocco.
The research also confirmed zero or low levels of local hosting in a significant majority of countries in the region: 41 countries hosted over 95% of their gTLD domains outside Africa.
The research found 51 functioning ccTLD Registries, with South Sudan (SS) not yet delegated and Eritrea (ER) and the Comoros (KM), which each have just over 100 domains, but have no apparent method of registering new domains via the Internet, also non-functional. Compared to other regions, Africa has a very small number of ICANN accredited Registrars.
In total, there are only 11 ICANN accredited registrars in the region13 – four in South Africa, two in Morocco and one each in Burundi, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia out of a global total of 2,143. However, there are many more Registrars than this actually active in Africa, with 450 Registrars accredited by the ZACR alone, for example.
Unless specified otherwise, the term “accredited Registrar” means a Registrar accredited by the relevant ccTLD Registry in the remainder of this report.
In reality, 26 countries have only one Registrar (typically the Registry itself), whereas 13 countries are fully competitive, use EPP and have multiple Registrars, with the remaining 14 being partly competitive and Southern Sudan not yet delegated. This was a factor in the number of ccTLD domains sold, although it is also true that successful markets attract more Registrars. For the Registrant Market, this market review identified over 5 million African ccTLD and gTLD domains. This equates to some 4.4 domains / 1000 population, whereas some commentators state that 100 – 300 domains / 1000 population is the norm in Europe.
In this regard it should be noted that there are a number of African countries (11 are most popular) that have unexpectedly high numbers of domain registrations due, it seems, to what are known as ‘domain hacks’ (where domains are utilised by entities or individuals not from these countries because the ccTLD forms part of an intended word or similar unexpected uses).
These occur because these countries have domain names that cost little or nothing to register or are attractive for special purposes where registering a short or a common word in the ccTLD has more relevance than registration in the more popular gTLDs such as .COM or .NET.
In addition these countries have non-restrictive rules that allow registration of domains from entities located outside the country. The DNS market roughly equates to a total value of about USD $38 million per annum for African ccTLD domain names alone. 14 At least 25% of this is likely to accrue to the international registrars and the remaining USD $29 million would be import or local revenue generated by the ccTLDs and Registrars.
About 73% of the total annual revenue on the continent is made by just ten countries (South Africa, Morocco, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Tanzania, Libya, Somalia, Cameroon and Ivory Coast).
Including the gTLD domains with an African connection increases the total annual value of the industry to some USD $52 million. Most of the African ccTLDs are available for registration for offshore entities without the requirement for a local presence.
In 15 countries there is a requirement for some form of local legal presence (corporate or individual) in order to register a domain name: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cap Verde, Egypt, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zambia. In a few countries, including Kenya, there is an additional requirement for Registrars to be locally based, but not Registrants.
The study also considered the likely growth in the market. In all markets except South Africa (which is mature) there has been significant growth in the number of African domains registered by top-level domain registrars (e.g. .COM, .ORG and .INFO domains) as infrastructure rollout has increased in many countries, albeit off a low base.
The research expects this trend to continue – projecting an annual overall growth of 33%.
This suggests significant growth opportunities for local providers in individual countries – noting that 91% of the Registrants that responded to the online survey said they preferred to deal with local Registrars.
On 27 June, from 15:15-16:45 at Pavillon S8, ICANN will hold a public presentation to discuss the report during ICANN’s 59th Public Meeting (ICANN59), in Johannesburg. ICANN59 is also the 2nd Policy Forum, the 1st one being in Helsinki last year.
Nigeria has emerged as one of Africa’s most regulated online gambling markets, even as illegal operators continue to dominate the continent, according to a new report by Gaming Compliance International (GCI).
The report, the first comprehensive assessment of online gambling across all 54 African countries, showed that Africa’s online gambling Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) reached $23 billion in 2025.
However, only $5.2 billion (23 per cent) was generated by licensed operators, while $17.8 billion (77 per cent) remained in the unregulated market.
In West Africa, total online gambling revenue rose to $4.8 billion in 2025 from $4.3 billion in 2024. Of the 2025 figure, regulated operators accounted for $1.5 billion (31 per cent), while $3.3 billion (69 per cent) flowed to unlicensed platforms, highlighting the region’s persistent enforcement challenges.
Nigeria stood out as the region’s strongest performer, recording the lowest unregulated market share at 56 per cent, compared with the West African average of 69 per cent and the African average of 77 per cent.
The study also found that online gambling participation across Africa increased from 198 million people (13 per cent of the population) in 2024 to 215 million (14 per cent) in 2025.
Despite this growth, GCI estimated that illegal operators deprived African governments of about $3.55 billion in tax revenue in 2025. The number of unlicensed gambling platforms targeting African consumers also rose to 4,129, up from 3,644 in 2024.
Commenting on the findings, Matt Holt, chief executive officer, GCI, said the report provides regulators with the first continent-wide benchmark for strengthening oversight and consumer protection.
Ismail Vali, president, GCI, urged governments to develop competitive and well-regulated markets that encourage consumers to patronise licensed operators, boost public revenue and attract greater investment.
Online gambling in Nigeria is regulated by the Nation Lottery Regulatory Commission.
At the height of the Northern Hemisphere tourist season, demand for communications and mobile Internet services rises sharply. Kaspersky’s security experts have uncovered scams that target anyone purchasing mobile connections or SIM cards worldwide.
Fraudsters create counterfeit websites that look like the portals of major regional and international telecom providers to trick users into revealing their phone numbers, personal details or banking information.
Kaspersky is sharing several examples of these fake login pages that mimic legitimate telecom operator sites and giving recommendations on how not to be deceived.
In the first case, scammers exploit the brand name of an international telecommunications company operating services in Asia, Africa and Europe. Fake authentication pages encourage users to put in their phone number and credentials.
While the first example shows the different design, the second scam site closely mimics the original log in page, making it hard for users to tell the difference and spot a fake. Entering authentication or payment data on fraudulent web sites may result in money or data loss and become a reason for more frequent spam and fraudulent calls.
Another example is a scam page which poses as another international communications company, working in North Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. In this scheme scammers encourage users to top up their mobile data/Internet plans by entering their personal information and bank cards details.
Kaspersky experts have also identified a scam when cyber criminals suggest users enter their personal data to check and pay a bill inquiry. Such scam schemes are usually aimed at gaining victims’ personal data for further fraud or account hacking and stealing money.
“Because of the active use of AI, scammers can now create fake pages with ever increasing accuracy and speed, targeting the most popular user interest areas. We constantly see scams revolving around sports events, music concerts, seasonal sales and holidays. Unfortunately, the telecoms industry is no exception.
To keep your data and money safe, be vigilant when purchasing mobile or Internet plans online. Using an eSIM – purchased through an official app – is one way to avoid fake telecom sites, as it eliminates the need to enter personal details on questionable web pages.
If you’re unsure about a site’s legitimacy, search for the brand name directly in a search engine and enable a security solution that blocks phishing links for you,” comments Tatyana Kulikova, cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.
In a strategic push to bridge the gender digital divide, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has partnered with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) to advance women’s digital inclusion and drive the nation’s transformation agenda.
Dr Aristotle Onumo and some NITDA staff, pose for a group photograph with the President of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Comrade Aisha Ibrahim, and members of the delegation following a strategic engagement at the Agency’s Headquarters in Abuja.
The partnership was cemented during a courtesy visit to NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, by a NAWOJ delegation led by National President Comrade Aishatu Ibrahim, who introduced the agency to the forthcoming Women in Security (WINSEC) Summit & Awards 2026.
Inuwa, represented by Dr. Aristotle Onumo, the Director of the Stakeholders Management and Partnerships Department, assured the association that NITDA would not only participate in the conference, but also support the success of the conference.
Inuwa hailed the NAWOJ for creating a platform for peacebuilding, dialogue on security and women’s inclusion, which he described as one of the critical areas NITDA is focused on to ensure that more women obtain digital literacy and skills under the National Gender Inclusive Strategy.
Beyond NITDA’s plan to participate in the conference, the DG noted that a robust partnership between the organisations would engender meaningful opportunities and initiatives through which many more women can access digital literacy.
“Inclusivity is the key to everything we do at NITDA. We clearly defined that 40 per cent of our programmes must recognise the issue of gender. We ensure that women are adequately represented and positioned to benefit greatly from the programmes that we organise in the agency.
“We graciously accept to participate actively in that conference. Apart from acquiring skills among journalists themselves, partnership with NAWOJ will also serve as a platform through which we can also reach out to various women’s groups across the federation,” Inuwa said.
Earlier, Comrade Ibrahim commended the DG for his visionary and transformational leadership which has continued to position NITDA as the catalyst for Nigeria’s digital economy through its various programmes.
She explained that the Women in Security (WINSEC) Summit and Awards 2026 is an initiative of NAWOJ designed to promote collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, technology experts, the media, and other stakeholders to address contemporary security challenges.
According to Comrade Ibrahim, the association also aims to recognise outstanding individuals and institutions that have demonstrated excellence in security, governance, and innovation while fostering meaningful dialogue on the role of technology in building a safer and more resilient Nigeria.
“We deeply appreciate your exemplary leadership, passion for innovation, and unwavering commitment to building a digitally empowered Nigeria. We respectfully invite the agency to partner with NAWOJ in making this landmark initiative a success.
“We look forward to establishing a long-term partnership with NITDA that will empower women journalists with cutting-edge digital skills, support digital inclusion and contribute to innovation, digital literacy, and human capital development,” the NAWOJ president added.
Both organisations expressed optimism that the meeting would lay a solid foundation for a rewarding partnership agreement with specific and clearly defined objectives that will support digital inclusion and contribute to innovation, digital literacy, and human capital development.
Senate Moves to Compel Social Media Companies to Open Offices in Nigeria
Nigeria Leads Africa in Online Gambling Regulation – GCI
CBN Has Not Published Annual Financial Statements Since 2022 despite Legal Requirement
ChatPay Unveils Public Waitlist for WhatsApp-Based Banking Platform
GSMA Says High Smartphone Costs Threatens Africa’s AI Future
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
NASENI Moves to Digitize CCB’s 5m Assets Declaration and Operations
Tokenization, Blockchain Technology will Transform Financial Institutions – IMF
EFCC Busts NIS Visa Overstay Racket, Uncovers N700m in an Account
From Scarcity to Scale: What Africa Can Learn from India’s Agricultural Transformation
General News3 days agoFG Launches C.L.I.C.K.D., Consumer Credit Scheme for Tech Devices
Telecom3 days agoAirtel Nigeria Expands Retail Footprint to Strengthen Customer Access Nationwide
Telecom3 days agoMTN Nigeria Opens Applications for Next Afrobeats Star Season 2 with Bigger Prizes
News3 days agoNPC Opens Nationwide Digital Birth, Death Registration Platform
Telecom3 days agoKaspersky Survey Highlights the Need for Smartphone Security
E-Business3 days agoOvaloop Technologies Unveils Digital Tools to Formalize SMEs Operations Across Africa
E-Financial3 days agoCBN Retains Interest Rate at 26.5% as Cardoso Cites Global Uncertainty Despite Inflation Drop
Telecom2 days agoCourt Dismisses Pan African Towers’ Bid to Halt Ex-CEO’s Suit, Awards ₦500,000 Costs