The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has called on Nigerians to take an active role in recognising organisations and individuals driving the country’s digital development as public voting opens for the 2026 .ng Awards.
The voting exercise, which commenced on October 19 and will close on November 12, 2026, provides members of the public an opportunity to support businesses, institutions and digital initiatives making significant contributions to Nigeria’s internet ecosystem through the adoption and effective use of the country’s .ng domain.
The awards, now in their ninth edition, are an annual initiative of NiRA, the registry responsible for managing Nigeria’s country-code Top-Level Domain (.ng). They seek to promote digital innovation, celebrate excellence and encourage the development of locally driven online businesses and services.
Members of the public can participate by visiting the official awards portal at https://nira.org.ng/ngawards2026/ to review the shortlisted nominees and cast their votes.
Speaking on the awards, the Chief Operating Officer of NiRA, Seyi Onasanya, said the initiative recognises organisations and individuals leveraging the .ng domain to improve online services, promote locally developed content and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy.
“The categories cover a broad range of sectors, including banking, financial technology, electronic payments, e-commerce, education, agriculture, media, government and technology services,” she said.
Some of the award categories include Company of the Year, Most Innovative Service Provider Online, Best Commercial Banking Website/Portal, Best E-payment Website/Portal, .ng FinTech Company of the Year, Best E-commerce Website/Portal, Startup Company of the Year and Best Local Hosting Company.
Other categories are designed to recognise digital innovation and the effective deployment of internet technologies across state and federal government institutions, educational institutions, technology hubs and media organisations.
NiRA explained that eligibility for the awards is subject to specific requirements, including possession of a registered .ng domain that has been active for more than 12 months and an associated website that is live on the internet.
The assessment process also considers the currency of website content, quality of locally produced materials, user experience, functionality, relevance and interactivity.
Since the awards were introduced in 2016, more than 120 organisations and individuals have received recognition for their contributions to Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
The awards are divided into two broad categories: General Awards and Presidential Awards. While the General Awards involve public nominations and voting, the Presidential Awards are conferred by the President of NiRA, Mr Adesola Akinsanya, in recognition of impactful contributions to the growth and development of the .ng domain ecosystem.
Winners of the 2026 edition are expected to be unveiled at the .ng Awards ceremony, scheduled to hold in Lagos in November.
NiRA urged Nigerians to visit the official awards portal, assess the shortlisted nominees and participate in the voting exercise, stressing the importance of public involvement in celebrating organisations and individuals advancing Nigeria’s digital presence through the .ng domain.