.africa Ten Years and Beyond in the Domain Names Sector
Johannesburg, 6 May
Registry Africa, the Registry Operator and administrator of the .africa domain name is celebrating ten years in the domain names industry this year and has renewed its Registry Operator Agreement with ICANN for a further ten years.
ICANN is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, a non-profit partnership of people worldwide dedicated to keeping the Internet secure, stable, and interoperable. It promotes competition and develops policy on the internet’s unique identifiers.
The .africa Mission
The launch of the domain name, .africa, in 2017 brought a name to businesses and individuals looking for a digital identifier representing them and the continent. At the launch, the former Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Zuma, directed all Africans to go out there, create awareness and celebrate the .africa domain.
Over the years, seeing how many have heeded this call has been rewarding and humbling, resulting in .africa being considered one of the top-level domains (TLD). Big businesses and individuals have enthusiastically adopted the .africa identifier. We have seen names such as absa.africa, maxhosa.africa, nation.africa, adams.africa, and many others being adopted, both fun and serious.
.africa is a domain name extension that in its uniqueness, represents the vibrance and diversity of the African continent. It is also a digital real estate for businesses, organisations and individuals to demonstrate their connection to our magnificent continent.
Visionaries Of The Domain Name
The journey of .africa was influenced by continental visionaries who lobbied for the name Africa to be included in the digital namespace to attract users worldwide.
This process saw interested parties across the continent lobby for the name, gaining critical support from the continent’s governments and the African Union to enable its successful application.
Registry Africa Looks Ahead
Despite some challenges, today, we can only look ahead to the next ten years, which look prosperous for the .africa domain name registration journey. ICANN’s extension of the contract for another ten years is a sign of excellence and a vote of confidence in delivering services to end users.
Registry Africa CEO Lucky Masilela comments, “Today, as we celebrate this milestone, we look back at the journey which hasn’t been without its challenges and is filled with immense pride. Our renewed contract is a sign of the responsible and trusted way we have delivered on our previous contracted mandate to manage this African top-level domain name for Africans by Africans.”
“The African digital space is full of opportunities, and as technology advances and internet penetration rates increase across the continent, so too the .africa domain name is poised to play an even more important role in driving digital transformation, economic growth and social development in Africa.” he continued.
Whether for your primary business, side hustle, or private use, registering a .africa domain name expresses an affinity for the continent and its diverse cultures, regional identity, and global appeal whilst providing search optimisation advantages and a lasting impression.
Make Your Mark, Register Your .Africa Domain Name
As Registry Africa celebrates ten years and beyond in the domain names sector, it reaffirms its commitment to harnessing the power of this unique African digital identifier to create a brighter future for Africa and its people for generations to come.
Register your domain with Registry Africa Today!