NCC inaugurates IPv6 council board
By Damilare Adeleye
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for accelerated adoption of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), warning that Nigeria risks falling behind in the global digital economy if stakeholders fail to act decisively.
This call was made on Thursday during the inauguration ceremony of the IPv6 Council Board in Ikeja, Lagos State.
The board, which was inaugurated by the NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Aminu Maida, was tasked to monitor frameworks, deliver quarterly updates, and publish an annual state-of-IPv6 report.
Members of the board include Mr. Muhammed Rudman, who serves as the chairman; Mr. Chris Uwaje, the vice-chairman; Mrs. Mary Uduma, Olusola Teniola; and Funke Opeke, Engr. Lanre Ajayi, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Latif LADID, as well as representatives of NCC and NITDA.
In his remarks, Dr Maida, who noted that the initiative, established in 2014, has driven awareness, policy advocacy, and collaboration around Nigeria’s internet evolution.
He, however, stressed that progress remains insufficient given the rapid expansion of 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and AI-driven services, all of which are stretching the limits of legacy IPv4 infrastructure.
“In this context, IPv6 is no longer optional; it is a strategic necessity for national competitiveness, security, and economic sovereignty,” he said, emphasizing that no single institution can deliver the transition alone, calling for coordinated action across regulators, telecom operators, enterprises, academia, and global partners.
The EVC further disclosed that the Commission has strengthened institutional frameworks through a memorandum of understanding with the African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC), enabling capacity-building programmes across public and private sectors.
He also commended parallel efforts by government agencies and private organisations driving pilot deployments and awareness campaigns.
As part of the newly inaugurated IPv6 Council, Dr Maida outlined a multi-pronged mandate, including the development of a national IPv6 strategy with clear timelines to raise adoption from five per cent to at least 15 per cent in the near term, and eventually align Nigeria with leading African markets.
Other priorities include scaling technical capacity through partnerships with academic institutions, driving public sector migration to IPv6-enabled platforms, removing investment barriers in collaboration with industry players, and recommending policy incentives to accelerate nationwide deployment.
The EVC further emphasised that Nigeria must significantly increase the number of certified IPv6 engineers, noting that current figures are inadequate for a country of its size.
Earlier in his presentation, the Chairman of the IPv6 Council raised concerns over Nigeria’s current internet infrastructure, warning that the continued reliance on IPv4 is creating both security and scalability challenges for the digital ecosystem.
He explained that the widespread use of network address translation (NAT) is masking user identity across networks, making it difficult to accurately trace internet activity.
“You may have a situation where a small carrier has only one public IP address, but that same address is being used by up to 15,000 users,” he said, adding that “this creates a major technical challenge in terms of identification and security.”
Speaking on implementation, Rudman expressed optimism about gradual compliance improvements. He referenced earlier projections aimed at achieving measurable progress in network standardisation and adoption within defined phases.
He also cited global examples to support accelerated deployment, pointing to India as a major success case in large-scale internet expansion.
“India moved from about 12 per cent internet penetration to over 70 per cent within a few years, driven by coordinated infrastructure deployment and a unified network strategy,” he said.
Rudman further emphasised the role of government in shaping digital infrastructure outcomes, noting that policy direction, enforcement, and incentives are critical to driving adoption of modern IP frameworks.
“Governments must set standards, enforce compliance, and in some cases provide incentives for transition. Without that, progress will remain uneven,” he stated.
He added that many countries now embed digital infrastructure requirements into broader national strategies, including security systems, surveillance infrastructure, and public service delivery platforms, while calling for stronger coordination between government, regulators, and industry stakeholders to ensure a successful transition.