Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has inaugurated the Nigeria IPv6 Council to accelerate the country’s transition to the next generation of internet protocol.
L-R: Tony Emoekpere, Council Member, National Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6); Engr. Abraham Oshadami, Executive Commissioner Technical Services, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC; Mr. Muhammed Rudman, National President, IPv6 Council; Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO,NCC; Barr. Rimini Makama, Executive Commissioner Stakeholder Management, NCC; Dr. Chris Uwaje, National Vice President, IPv6 Council; Mr. Adesola Akinsanya, President, National Internet Registration Association, NIRA/ Council Member, during the Inauguration of the National Internet Protocol Version 6, (IPv6) Council Members, at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos State on the 23rd April 2026.
Speaking at the launch in Lagos, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the initiative was critical to strengthening Nigeria’s digital competitiveness, security and technological sovereignty.
Maida disclosed that Nigeria’s adoption of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) currently stands at about five per cent, significantly below the global average of over 40 per cent.
He said the development underscored the need for urgent and coordinated action to bridge the gap and position Nigeria for future digital demands.
“IPv6 is not optional; it is a strategic necessity,” he said.
Maida explained that the rapid growth of technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing and artificial intelligence was placing increasing pressure on existing internet infrastructure based on IPv4.
According to him, the transition to IPv6 will require collaboration among regulators, telecom operators, government agencies, businesses and academic institutions.
He noted that the commission had already initiated policies and partnerships, including collaboration with the African Network Information Centre, to support capacity building and training.
The NCC boss said the newly inaugurated council would oversee the implementation of a National IPv6 Deployment Strategy, with defined targets to position Nigeria among leading adopters in Africa within three years.
He listed key priorities to include establishing a monitoring framework, training and certifying IPv6 engineers, and ensuring migration of government platforms to IPv6-enabled systems.
Maida added that the council would also engage internet service providers, data centres and financial institutions to address barriers to adoption and promote policy alignment.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, Mr Muhammed Rudman, identified low urgency among operators as a major challenge, noting that many still rely on IPv4 due to its continued availability.
He said although Nigeria has over 200 Autonomous System Numbers and more than 100 networks with IPv6 allocations, only a few are actively utilising the protocol.
Rudman explained that reliance on Network Address Translation under IPv4, while enabling multiple users to share limited addresses, poses challenges for security, performance and traceability.
He said the council had set targets, including achieving at least 20 per cent IPv6 compliance in government networks by 2027, 25 per cent deployment among telecom operators, and about 30 per cent nationwide adoption by 2030.
According to him, the council also plans to expand training programmes to equip at least 50 professionals with IPv6 skills by October.
He, however, noted that funding constraints and shortage of skilled professionals remained key challenges.
In his remarks, a technology expert, Mr Chris Uwaje, urged Nigeria to prioritise modern digital infrastructure and invest in innovation and local talent.
Uwaje said the transition to IPv6 represents a strategic shift necessary for long-term digital growth and resilience.
Ravenewsonline reports that IPv6 is the latest version of the internet protocol designed to replace IPv4, which is gradually running out of available addresses due to the increasing number of connected devices worldwide.
