Internet domain name .africa is one step closer to being launched.

The ‘Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers’ (ICANN) has ruled that South Africa’s ZA Central Registry (ZACR) bid for the generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) dotAfrica has passed its ‘initial evaluation phase’.

ICANN opened up applications for new generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) names last year with the likes of Nike applying for .nike and mobile operator MTN applying for .mtn.

An application for a new internet domain name alone costs $185,000. And ICANN; subsequently, published a list of all applied-for domain names and their applicants last year.

"Based on the review of your application (it) has passed Initial Evaluation. The application is eligible to proceed to the next step in the Program," reads the ICANN new gTLD program initial evaluation report:

Chair for the dotAfrica steering committee, Mohammed El Bashir, said, "The news is especially exciting coming as it did on the eve of the 47th ICANN International meeting that is now currently taking place in Durban with virtually the entire world Internet community represented."

"The valued support of the African Union Commission (AUC) has been a key success factor. Our bid for dotAfrica could not have made it this far without the support and encouragement of the AUC," Mr El Bashir added.

According to a press release from the ZACR, the dotAfrica steering committee is planned to be a precursor to the establishment of a multi-stakeholder pan-African dotAFRICA Foundation which will drive the execution of the key developmental deliverables in cooperation with the African Union Commission (AUC).