The President, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), Mrs Mary Uduma, on Tuesday called for the registration of 100,000 domain names by mid 2013.

Uduma made the call at the NIRA Registrars' Forum in Lagos.

She said that though there were over 26,000 domain names registered in the ".ng" domain, the registrars should work toward registration of 100,000 by mid 2013.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that domain name is a unique address that could be used on the Internet.

It is what one sees in the address bar after the "www." in web browser.

She said that it was imperative for the registrars to start promoting the unique identity of Nigeria on the Internet with the .ng domain.

"The .ng aims to improve the visibility of Nigeria on the Internet by creating local content with ensured content security," the NIRA president said.

She said that NIRA would open up the second level domain to ensure that the registrars attain the registration of 100,000 domain names.

According to her, the second level domain will come up with creative names, which will ensure that Nigerians indigenous names come up under the .ng.

Mr Biyi Oladipo, a member of the Executive Board of NIRA, stressed the need for the registrars to develop local contents on the Internet.

"People will not use your domain unless you have contents they want. We should look at what the world need, then develop our own local contents to promote the .ng domain and grow our economy," Oladipo said. NAN