Sierra Leone has begun steps to bring the management of its national internet domain, .sl, under local control, in a move aimed at strengthening oversight of the country’s digital infrastructure.
The Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation has established a stakeholder working group to guide the proposed transfer, which will involve moving the technical infrastructure supporting the domain to facilities within Sierra Leone and securing international approval for the new management arrangement.
The ministry said the .sl registry, which maintains the database of national domain names, is currently hosted outside the country. More than 2,500 domain addresses depend on the registry, including those used by businesses and institutions.
The process will involve two stages: repatriation of the registry infrastructure and redelegation of management authority through the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which coordinates the global domain name system.
The working group is expected to develop a governance framework and engage relevant stakeholders, including internet service providers, mobile network operators and universities, before wider consultations take place.
The ministry said the initiative is being supported through the World Bank-funded Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project.
Bringing the registry under local management could give the government greater control over an important part of the country’s internet infrastructure. However, the process is not complete and will require technical preparations, stakeholder engagement and approval through the relevant international procedures.
The development comes as governments across the world seek greater control over critical digital infrastructure and the systems that support their online services.
