The African DNS forum was held in Nicon Luxury, Abuja, Nigeria between the 7th and 9th of July, 2014. NIRA, ICANN, AfTLD and ISOC were the hosts. About 140 participants were physically present at the meeting and they comprise Government officials, representatives from private sector, civil society, regional and international organisations coming from over 22 countries.
The meeting was addressed by highly reputable stakeholders across Africa and beyond. The meeting was also addressed virtually through video message by Mr Pierre Dandjinou, the Vice President Stakeholder Engagement ICANN Africa Bureu.
Some of the issues discussed are; Monetizing Africa’s Top Level Domains, Registries Business: Growing the African Domain Name (Reseller Friendly TLD Policies), Reseller: Taxation and Domain Names, Increasing Reseller Domain Name Sales Business Versus Ethics, Registry Domain Growth Strategy: Reseller Accreditation, the Future of DNS Management, TLD Marketing, whose responsibility is it?
At the end of the forum, some recommendations were made. Such recommendations include; in the area of monetizing African Top Level Domain, there should be creation of more awareness through road shows, one-to-one awareness and other possible means, in the area of growing the African Domain Name, there should be creation and development of local contents as well as the creation of viable policies that will be of benefit to the growth of the African Domain Name, in the area of taxation and domain name, there should be reduction in tax for resellers as this will lead to a reduction in the cost of registering domain names.
