The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned that Nigeria’s internet future is at risk, with IPv6 adoption stuck at just five per cent while global reserves of IPv4 addresses are completely exhausted.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Nigeria IPv6 Council in Lagos, the chief executive of the NCC, Mr Aminu Maida, described the moment as “a defining moment in Nigeria’s digital evolution,” but said major gaps remain.
IPv4 and IPv6 are two versions of the Internet Protocol (IP) addressing system. IP is a set of communication rules that provides data exchange over the Internet. His warning indicates that Nigeria is still relying on an obsolete internet addressing system, and unless it accelerates IPv6 adoption, it could face slower growth, higher costs, and reduced competitiveness in the digital economy.
“According to our 2026 approval measurements, Nigerians’ IPv6 adoption stands at approximately five per cent, while leading economies have surpassed that.
“Global IPv4 reserves are exhausted, while the rapid expansion of IT networks, IoT, cloud services and AI-driven applications has pushed the limits of legacy internet addressing,” Mr Maida said.
He stressed that the transition to IPv6 was no longer optional but “a strategic necessity for national competitiveness, security and economic sovereignty.” The council, established as a national chapter of the global IPv6 Forum in 2014, has led advocacy efforts over the past four years, but Maida said more coordinated action was required.
“This is not a task any single institution can accomplish alone. It demands collaboration among regulators, operators, enterprises, academia and consumers,” he stated.
He added that the NCC had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with an international partner for capacity building across the public sector, while some government agencies and private organisations have launched pilot IPv6 deployments.
The NCC EVC charged the newly inaugurated council members to deliver quarterly progress updates, drive capacity building with academic institutions, lead migration of government networks, and unlock industry investment in IPv6 infrastructure.
“The time for adoption and prioritisation of IPv6 deployments across your networks and platforms is now. “The decisions you make today will determine Nigeria’s digital competitiveness,” he added.
Speaking about the newly inaugurated Council, the National President of the IPv6 Council, Mr Muhammed Rudman, emphasised that Nigeria lagged behind in IPv6 adoption.
He said Nigeria’s internet readiness trailed global standards, with only about five per cent of internet users connected via IPv6 compared to a 40 per cent global average.
Mr Rudman noted that Africa’s average stands at six per cent, putting Nigeria below the continental benchmark despite its large digital economy.
He identified key challenges: the continued availability of IPv4 addresses in the AfriNIC region, lack of financial support for training, and no urgent push from ISPs because IPv4 still meets customer needs. “It doesn’t affect their bottom line,” he said.