Africa's participation in the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Number (ICANN) is worrying with very few countries registering and adopting local domain names.

This is according to Pierre Dandjinou, the vice president of Stakeholder Engagement for ICANN in Africa, most countries average around 500 local domain registrations.

Kenya has an average of 40,000 .ke domains registered to date. Nigeria is said to have 50,000 .ng domains registered which, says Dandjinou, is not encouraging in a country of over 160 million people.

"There are issues about Africa's country codes. If you look at the situation of the consumption of ccTLD (country code Top Level Domains), Africa is not doing too well. We have a total number of 1.5 million registrants of the ccTLD and 1 million is from South Africa," Dandjinou told journalists during a press briefing in Nairobi.

He said that 200,000 of those local registrants also come from North Africa and the rest are scattered all over Africa.

He explained that the reason for low activity in Africa was due to poor penetration of the internet. According to Dandjinou, only 20% of Africa has access to the internet. This makes acquisition of websites and domain names inaccessible.

Dandjinou also noted the level of legislation surrounding domain names, including online trademark laws. He criticised the current situation in which he claims even lawyers in Africa do not understand laws to do with domain registration and trademark.

However, ICANN has an African strategy which is in its third year. "ICANN is committed to helping facilitate the development of the domain name industry in Africa. Expanding the domain system across Africa will also bring with it business opportunities and the potential for economic growth," Dandjinou said.

Dandjinou asked African governments to be at the forefront in adopting local domain extensions in rendering government services.

The IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) Stewardship Transitions, where ICANN has been given the mandate by the United States to have an inclusive development and global framework for administering domain names, is also a way in which Africa could benefit.

This transition will see the US let go of the control of global domain management and have regional bodies govern the registration of domain names. ICANN has so far seen the participation of 14 African countries in this forum.