Closed domain extensions like .gov.ng and .mil.ng are strictly reserved and regulated by the Federal Government of Nigeria to protect national digital infrastructure.
.gov.ng: Reserved for official Nigerian government bodies, including Federal, State, and Local Government institutions, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as approved long-term government projects with a minimum lifespan of 18 months.
.mil.ng: Strictly reserved for the Nigerian Armed Forces and affiliated military establishments.
[ Step 1: Draft Authorization Letter ] ➔ [ Step 2: Configure Name Servers ] ➔ [ Step 3: Submission & NITDA Review ] ➔ [ Step 4: Domain Activation ]
You must provide a scanned copy of an official authorization letter.
Letterhead: Must be printed on the official letterhead of the MDA or institution.
Signatory: Must be signed by the Head of the Institution/MDA (e.g., Minister, Permanent Secretary, Director-General, or Chairman) or the designated next-in-hierarchy officer.
Addressee:
When registering via an accredited registrar (Hostlag): Address the letter to the Chief Operating Officer, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA).
When registering directly via NITDA: Address the letter to the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Your authorization letter and application must explicitly detail the following:
Desired Domain Name: Must directly correspond to the official name of the entity (e.g., youragency.gov.ng).
Operational Name Servers: At least two (2) functional and correctly spelled name servers (e.g., ns1.hostlag.com and ns2.hostlag.com).
Administrative Contact:
Full Name & Designation
Official Email Address (must use an official institutional email domain where available, or official staff address)
Direct Phone Number
Note: Must be an in-house staff member of the MDA.
Technical Contact:
Full Name & Designation
Email Address & Phone Number
Note: Can be an in-house IT staff member or an appointed external IT consultant/registrar.
Hostlag submits your scanned documentation and domain request directly to NiRA and NITDA.
NITDA conducts a background check to verify the authenticity of the letter, the eligibility of the organization, and the validity of the staff contacts.
Expected Timeline: Verification typically takes 3 to 7 business days, depending on the speed of contact confirmation.
Domain Level Structure:
Federal Institutions: Registered as 3rd-level domains (e.g., agency.gov.ng).
State & Local Government Entities: Must follow 4th-level domain mapping according to state policy (e.g., agency.lagos.gov.ng or health.kano.gov.ng).
Strict Naming Rules: Generic, misleading, or abbreviated names that do not clearly identify the MDA will be rejected by NITDA.
Non-Transferable Rights: These domains cannot be sold, transferred, or assigned to third-party commercial entities.
Eligibility & Naming Pre-Check: We review your proposed domain name and organization profile before submission to prevent instant rejection.
Letter Verification & Drafting Support: We check your authorization letter against NITDA/NiRA requirements to ensure correct addresses, signatories, and formatting.
Active DNS Pre-Configuration: We pre-configure your name servers on Hostlag’s high-speed DNS network so your application satisfies NITDA's live name server requirement.
End-to-End Concierge Follow-Up: We submit all files and manage continuous follow-ups with NITDA/NiRA to expedite approval.
Verification Item
Requirement Status
Official Letterhead
Scanned in clear resolution on official MDA stationery
Correct Addressee
Addressed to COO of NiRA (or DG of NITDA)
Valid Signatory
Signed by Minister, Permanent Secretary, DG, or Head of MDA
Live Name Servers
At least two active name servers tested before submission
Staff Admin Contact
Official staff member listed with functional phone and email