Nigeria web hosting refers to hosting services that optimize performance for websites based in Nigeria or targeting Nigerian visitors. The best web host for Nigeria is Hostinger. It offers fast server speeds, a global server network and feature-rich plans.
There are 2 options for Nigeria web hosting. The first is to choose a small, local host that is based in Nigeria. The second is to choose a larger, recognized international host. We recommend choosing an established international host since they demonstrated faster global speeds in our server speed tests. International hosts also typically provide better technology, customer support and security features.
There are 7 things that make a good web host for Nigeria. The first is fast server response times both locally and globally. The second is reliable uptime. The third is strong security features like automatic updates, malware scanning and free SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates. The fourth is automatic backups. The fifth is 24/7/365 customer service. The sixth is generous storage and bandwidth. The seventh is value for money.
There are 2 considerations to keep in mind when purchasing web hosting for a Nigerian site. First, check if the host supports your preferred payment method. Since credit card usage isn’t as common in Nigeria, ensure the host accepts direct bank transfers if needed. Second, remember most international hosts don’t support .ng domain registrations. Users must register with a NiRA Accredited Registrar and manually connect it to their hosting if they wish to host a .ng website.
Top Web Hosts for Nigeria
- Hostinger – Best budget hosting for Nigeria
- GreenGeeks – Best green hosting for Nigeria
- DreamHost – Best unlimited hosting for Nigeria
- HostPapa – Best hosting for Nigeria businesses
- TMDHosting – Best cPanel hosting for Nigeria
- Hosting.com – Best NVMe hosting for Nigeria
note
The Nigerian prices in this article are calculated using an exchange rate of 1 USD to 380 NGN.
1. Hostinger
Coming in at the top of our list is Hostinger. They’re a very beginner friendly web hosting company with an excellent support system designed to provide step-by-step guides for people who are unfamiliar with building websites. Their customer support is one of the best we’ve experienced! They’re also very fast, scoring A+ in our Worldwide Speed Tests.
At a killer entry price of only ₦756.2 per month (for Single Shared Hosting), Hostinger really offers maximum value for the features you’ll receive.
Upgrading to their Premium Shared Hosting (₦1136.2) unlocks even more. With 100GB SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth, and email, you’ll never have to worry about paying more for resources you might need. You’ll also rest easy with their 99.9% uptime guarantee, and you’ll save even more as they offer you free domain name (with Premium Shared Hosting plan and above) and SSL. It’s perfect for anyone just starting out. Read our in-depth Hostinger review.
Hostinger’s introductory prices are really affordable BUT there’s a catch to it; you’ll be tied down to a contract of 48 months. A lot can happen in 4 years, and we’re not sure if we’re willing to be tied down for so long.
2. GreenGeeks
GreenGeeks distinguishes itself with stellar environmental credentials and excellent performance, making it an ideal choice for eco-conscious users. They uphold a 300% green energy match and plant a tree for every GreenGeeks hosting plan sold. They scored a global average response time of 118.6 ms which earned it another A+ speed rating. This ensures rapid site loading times internationally.
Priced at only ₦1,122 per month for the Lite plan, GreenGeeks offers a compelling package. This includes 50GB of SSD storage, unmetered data transfer, free SSL, and a free domain for the first year. The plan also boasts managed WordPress services, simplifying site management for users. Additionally, GreenGeeks supports their hosting with 24/7 customer care via live chat. Read our full GreenGeeks assessment.
GreenGeeks’s pricing goes up considerably after the introductory period has elapsed. For example, their Lite plan goes up from ₦1,122 to ₦4,541 when it’s renewed. Their phone support also only operates from 2PM – 5AM WAT (West Africa Time) which means you need to rely on Live Chat or ticketing outside those hours.
3. DreamHost
DreamHost is one of the older, most established web hosts in the industry. We think they’re especially great for hosting and running WordPress websites, and are one of the few hosts with an official WordPress endorsement!
Their plans include access to a great drag-and-drop website builder and hundreds of free templates to help you set up a great and professional looking WordPress website quickly – even for total beginners. You’ll also benefit from a 100% uptime guarantee and solid security features!
They currently run two datacenters within the US, and we think they’re an especially great option hosting for anyone whose audience is in that region. From our speed tests on our DreamHost-hosted test sites, they were extremely fast!
With plan prices that start from ₦984.2, you’ll get everything you need for a simple and high-performing site. Read our in-depth DreamHost review.
Since DreamHost only has data centers within the US, server response speeds can slow down considerably within regions that are further away – such as in Asia or Oceania. In addition, their Live Chat operating hours cater towards the US. 5:30AM – 9.30PM Pacific Time converts to 1:30 PM – 5:30 am in Nigeria, which isn’t ideal! However, you can stil use their ticketing system or knowledge base 24/7.
4. HostPapa
HostPapa is an Canadian company based in Toronto. They also scored a solid n A+ for their worldwide average speed of 130.4 ms!
Aside from speed, we just love HostPapa’s user-friendly interface. They’re utilising cPanel which is one of the best web hosting management tools on the market. cPanel simplifies the most complex aspects about managing a hosting account through handy features like the 1-click installer Softaculous and a nice visual interface that’s easy for even beginners to understand.
Since cPanel upped its prices in 2020, we’ve seen many web hosts drop them, but HostPapa has held on. Read our detailed HostPapa review.
HostPapa’s datacenters are based only in the US, Canada, and Amsterdam. However, they still offer impressive global speeds.
5. TMDHosting
TMDHosting is a host from Orlando, Florida that makes an excellent choice for hosting Nigerian sites. It’s known for its cutting-edge CloudLinux servers and a comprehensive suite of security features. They scored an A+ speed rating with an average response time of just 126.8 ms. They operate a wide network of 6 data centers across several continents to ensure reliable and efficient service globally.
Their Starter shared hosting starts at a low entry price of only ₦1,140 per month. It includes 50GB of SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth, SSL, and a free domain name. The provision of cPanel makes it user-friendly, and 24/7 support ensures you get help whenever you need it. Read our full look at TMDHosting.
TMDHosting’s cheapest plans do not include automated backups which we consider essential for data security. These backups are available in higher-tier and more expensive plans only.
6. Hosting.com
Although Hosting.com (formerly A2) is 3rd in this list, it really was a tough decision for us to make. As an international host with superb A+ speeds and data centers all over the world, they were so close to ranking 2nd, especially with their unlimited resources.
They’ve also got excellent time-saving features, such as their Optimized Software and 1-Click set up. Pair these with an option to upgrade to their Turbo plan which comes with their Turbo servers (20x faster than regular servers), and Hosting.com is truly a force to be reckoned with. Read our full Hosting.com review.
Live chat is slightly inconsistent. At times, they’ll respond to you in seconds, while you might have to wait a little longer than usual if you’re unlucky.
Nigerian web hosts we also tested
1. Whogohost
This is the #1 ranked host in Nigeria according to popularity. We set up a test site, hosted it on WhoGoHost and ran it through our Bitcatcha Server Speed Checker. It scored a C in our worldwide speed tests which fell below Google’s recommended 200 ms in Europe. WhoGoHost also charges a processing fee on certain payments. For example, if you pay via PayPal, you could pay an additional ₦423 in fees.
2. Web4Africa
Google Trend ranks Web4Africa as the second most popular web host in Nigeria. Web4Africa scored a D+ in our worldwide speed tests which is below Google’s recommended 200 ms in the USA. In other words, this host is not the best choice for American and global audiences.
On the other hand, the performance is strong in the local region, as Web4Africa lets you choose between servers in Ghana or Nigeria.
3. DomainKing
DomainKing is an Indian web host with a presence in Africa. It ranks third in popularity in Nigeria, so you may come across this host.
Like other local Nigerian hosts, it does allow bank transfers and supports .ng domains. However, its speed and performance is not as fast as our international hosts. It scores a C+ in our worldwide speed test.
DomainKing does offer 24/7 support and 99.9% uptime which is good. However, the storage and bandwidth is limited, and you’ll have to pay extra to enjoy larger limits.
4. Utiware
Utiware is a Nigerian host with servers in the US. As a result, it does respond quickly for American audiences. However, speeds across the rest of the world were disappointing.
Overall, Utiware delivered the slowest results in our worldwide speed tests, scoring a D.
Hosting your website for Nigerian audience
Are you thinking of setting up a website in Nigeria?
If so, you would need a fast and reliable web host – the foundation that powers your site. There are two main options for hosting your Nigerian website:
- Choose a small, local host based in Nigeria.
- Choose a larger, recognized international host.
As you’ve seen throughout this post, we recommend choosing option #2: an established international host. Although there are many local Nigerian hosts, from the speed tests we’ve run with several of their brands – their performance is simply too slow. In fact, we discovered only one local host that produced acceptable performance.
Instead, we recommend the superior speeds and ultra-reliability of international hosts like Hostinger. Even in Africa, their performance is outstanding.
What makes a good web host for Nigeria?
So what makes a web hosting provider good?
A web host determines the speed, reliability and stability of your website, so it’s important to make the right choice. So, what exactly are we looking for?
- Speed We all know the importance of website speed. And speed all begins with a fast web host. A web host should perform well against Google’s Core Web Vital, so look for a host that responds quickly in your location and around the world.
- Uptime ‘Uptime’ is a measure of reliability. In other words, it’s the percentage of time your website is online. Even an uptime of 98% can mean your site is down for six days of the year (!) Look for an uptime of 99.8% or higher.
- Security There’s nothing worse than getting hacked. What would you do if you lost all your content and hard work? That’s why web host security is so important. A good host should have automatic updates and malware scanning. Some even come with a free SSL (security) certificate.
- Backups As an extra security and practical feature, many hosts now come with regular automatic backups.
- Customer service Ideally, your web host should have 24/7/365 customer service. Most hosts now have customer service options including phone, ticket systems and online chat. Note that some hosts charge extra for a premium support service.
- Storage and bandwidth ‘Storage’ refers to how much content, images and data you can store on the host’s servers. And ‘bandwidth’ is how much data can flow through from the server. This has an impact on speed and visitor numbers. Naturally, we want the highest storage and bandwidth within reason.
- Price Don’t always settle for the cheapest webhost. It can end up causing you issues with speed and reliability. It may even hold you back if your website starts to grow. At the same time, you don’t need to spend a fortune! Look for an affordable host with all the features you need.
How can I ensure the reliability of my web host for Nigeria?
You can evaluate the reliability of a web host for Nigeria by using a host tracker such as UptimeRobot, Pingdom, GTmetrix, or Bitcatcha Host Tracker. These tools allow you to measure your web host’s uptime and server response time from a server in or near to Nigeria. Our Bitcatcha Host Tracker lets you monitor server response time and uptime from 10 different nodes, including the United Kingdom and Germany.
Use a local Nigerian host or international host?
As I mentioned, you have two main choices when it comes to hosting a website in Nigeria.
- Choose a local host with servers in Nigeria A local host may cater to an African audience, but they are generally slower in the rest of the world.
- Choose a global host that covers Nigeria A global host will give you high speeds all around the world. Large, international hosts may also have better technology, customer support and security.
Other considerations for Nigerian web hosting
Purchasing web hosting for a Nigerian site poses two additional considerations.
- Supported Payment Methods As many people do not use a credit card in Nigeria (due to high levels of fraudulent activity), you may require a web host that accepts direct bank transfer. Local hosts are more likely to accept this.
- .NG Domain Name You may want a .ng domain name. Unfortunately, most international hosts don’t support the .ng domain registration. However, you can register the .ng domain with a second party domain company (refer to the list on “NiRA Accredited Registrar”) and then simply point the nameservers to your hosting. (We generally recommend you do this, as it gives added protection should you ever wish to change your hosting).
Our recommendation
We recommend that you choose an established, international host (Hostinger is our #1 pick). If you really want a local Nigerian host, our recommendation is to choose QServers.