Nigeria welcomes IPv6 as part of digital transformation strategy

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

We are on the verge of a digital revolution thanks to robust future technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and IPv6. Countries like Nigeria are uniquely positioned for exponential growth by “leapfrogging” the now outdated tech that more advanced countries are still using and harnessing future tech from the start.

Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, hosted the annual “Digital Nigeria” conference, where the strategy for digital adoption is discussed and celebrated, providing the Nigerian youths with abundant opportunities.

Abuja was also host to the recent “IPv6 Summit: IPv6 Driven Digital Infrastructure,” where topics such as global IPv6 trends, cybersecurity, next-generation network strategy, and Nigeria’s roadmap to IPv6 were all discussed.

“In Nigeria, we are big on digital transformation. The President has mandated our Ministry to accelerate the digital transformation and also the Minister is big and loud on that,” said NITDA’s Director General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE during his welcome address.

 “As we adopt AI and other technologies, we need to also accelerate the connectivity as well. We want every Nigerian to be digitally visible, to be connected. So that is why we are here today to socialize a whitepaper drafted by Nigerian IPv6 Council and NITDA,” he said.

Latif Ladid, President of the IPv6 Forum, was one of the key speakers at the event, during which he emphasized his relationship with NITDA and the government of Nigeria.

“The initiative we have today is really fundamental. For the first time, we see that the government is directly engaged into this one. And I’ve known Mr Kashifu for a while now, in our first efforts on Blockchain, and we are having some discussions also on cybersecurity,” he said during his speech.

Ladid also confirmed Nigeria is the number one internet nation in Africa and the seventh in the world. He talked specifically about the role IPv6 will play in moving from a “research network” internet to a “production” internet thanks to peer-to-peer communication that an IPv6 digital world enables.

Ladid is also an expert on where blockchain technology intersects with IPv6, increasing security to an even higher level than using just IPv6 alone, in addition to many other benefits.

“Blockchain and IPv6 are both emerging technologies with unique capabilities, and their combined use in an enterprise setting can offer some significant advantages,” Ladid said.

“Blockchain and IPv6 together can provide a robust, scalable, and secure platform for enterprise applications. Enterprises that adopt these technologies can achieve greater efficiency, support for new business models, and a future-proofed infrastructure,” he stated.

To achieve a more scalable infrastructure, IPv6 will support the deployment of billions and billions of IoT devices, while blockchain will enable micro-transactions between those devices. Security and compliance will be enhanced by IPv6’s built-in IPsec which secures data in transit, while blockchain ensures data integrity and transparency.

While the benefits are clear, according to Ladid, the transition to a world of blockchain and IPv6 fusion is complex and requires careful planning, investment, and alignment with business goals.

What’s also important to consider is what blockchain to use with IPv6, as not all blockchains are created equal. It’s essential to pick a scalable, public blockchain with a fixed protocol and low transaction fees, such as the BSV blockchain, a protocol Ladid is quite familiar with.

“In the IPv6 digital infrastructure world discussed during the Nigeria v6 summit, enterprise blockchain like BSV has the potential to enhance security, scalability, and trust across various sectors,” Ladid said.

“By enabling data integrity, supporting microtransactions, facilitating interoperability, automating processes through smart contracts, managing digital identities, and ensuring supply chain traceability, BSV can play a pivotal role in realizing the full potential of IPv6,” he confirmed.

“This synergy could drive digital transformation in Nigeria and across Africa, fostering economic growth and innovation,” Ladid added.

Watch: The future has already arrived in Nigeria