If you’re involved in the business of website design or you’re planning to create a website for your business, one of the things that should be on the top of your mind is the type of hosting that your website will use.
There are several indigenous companies and in this post, we will be taking a look at these hosting companies.
However, there are several factors you should consider when choosing any of these hosting companies; these include:
- Speed
- Up time,
- Web security
- Responsive customer service
- Storage and bandwidth
- Price
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Speed
This is one of the most important factors when considering the hosting company that you intend to use. Ideally, your web host should respond within 200ms based on data from Google. So you need to look for a host with a good profile when it comes to speed.
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Uptime
You can not underestimate uptime if you want to create a reliable website for your audience. Your website’s uptime should be at least 99% as even an uptime of 98% can mean your site is down for six days of the year.
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Security
Thousands of websites get hacked frequently and this often happens because these website have not been secured by the web host. Most web hosting companies provide security although the package might be more expensive than the regular package but there are some packages that come with a free SSL (security) certificate.
However, it is important that you use a host that provides security features like automatic updates and malware scanning. Also, automated backup is an extra security that you should consider when looking to secure your website.
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Customer service
Your web host should be easily reached at any point in time. The standard customer service should be available 24/7/365. Some of the options deployed by most web hosting system include phone, ticket systems and online chat. These options may or may not be free.
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Storage and bandwidth
The storage feature of your ideal web hosting is dependent on the package you select. This is why you should have an idea of your expected web traffic before selecting a web host. The bandwidth is an indication of how much data can flow through from the server and this can affect your website speed.
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Price
It is easy to go for the cheapest webhost but it is best you select a web hosting plan that isn’t just cheap but one that is reliable and secure. Also, you should consider the other features you are looking for in this web host.
Before we delve into the hosting companies in Nigeria, let’s take a look at the key features of the international web hosting companies that are popular in Nigeria.
- HostGator Cloud | Speed (A+) | Avg. Response Time (144 ms)
Key Features
- Unlimited disk space
- Unlimited transfer
- 2x faster load time
- Easily scalable
- cPanel included
HostGator Cloud is reputed to be the fast web hosting in the world. This explains why it cost a little more than the other services on this list, but it’s worth the price tag. It comes with unlimited storage and bandwidth, and it’s scalable too. It grows with your website, so you’ll never be overloaded, no matter how much traffic you receive.
- SiteGround | Speed (A+) | Avg. Response Time (175 ms)
Key Features
- 10GB SSD storage
- 10,000 visits /mo
- cPanel & SSH
- Free Cloudflare
- Daily backup
SiteGround hosting performs quite well and it is also affordable although it is slightly slower than HostGator.
The SiteGround web hosting comes with a free CDN (content network delivery) service, which means your site will be delivered from a server close to Nigeria for quicker regional speeds.
- Inmotion Hosting | Speed (A+) | Avg. Response Time (156.9 ms)
Key Features
- Free domain name
- Max Speed Zones™
- Unlimited transfer
- SSH access
- 24×7 US support
Inmotion also comes with unlimited storage and bandwidth, daily backups, and 99.9% uptime but if you’re paying from Nigeria, you’ll need a credit card or US purchase order.
Now that we know these hosting companies in the country, let’s take a look at the hosting companies in the country.
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WhoGoHost
WhoGoHost used to be known as ennovateNIGERIA Limited but in 2011, the company became incorporated as WhoGoHost Limited.
The company is one of the top web hosting companies in Nigeria with clients both within and outside Nigeria.
If you’re looking to buy a good hosting package for your website, WhoGoHost will help you through the whole process and you can contact the company via phone, chat or email.
You can also make payments with your debit card as the company has been able to partner with InterSwitch. Additionally, WhoGoHost is an accredited Google Apps Reseller, .NG Registrar and a Cloudflare Certified Partner.
Currently, WhoGoHost has over 15000 active domains and their hosting package is quite affordable. In 2017, the company was awarded the best .NG ccTLD registrar by NIRA.
Below is a summary of the profile of WhoGoHost in terms of the hosting package.
Speed (C+) | Avg. Response Time (315.9 ms
Key Features
- 25GB storage
- 75GB bandwidth
- Free .ng domain
- Unlimited SQL
- FTP accounts
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QServers
Q Servers is a prominent hosting company in the country offering shared, VPS and managed dedicated server hosting.
The company incorporates the latest technological advances in to their server hardware thereby providing a superior hosting environment for their clients.
Q Servers offers excellent customer service, innovative network design and a unique suite of services.
The hosting services provided by Qservers include: Web Hosting, Reseller Hosting, E-commerce Hosting, VPS Hosting as well asDedicated Servers
Also, Q Server designs and builds websites, sells domain names as well as SSL certificates.
Below is an overview of the key features of this web hosting service.
Speed (A+) | Avg. Response Time (178.9 ms)
Key Features
- 30GB disk space
- 120GB bandwidth
- 99% uptime
- Unlimited emails
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KEKHosting
KekHosting is known for its high quality web hosting services and tools coupled with their superior customer support puts them among the best web hosting companies in the country.
Established in 2000, KekHosting has grown from a parent company in Maryland, USA to a network of companies with a branch in Lagos, Nigeria.
The company is also known for its responsive 24/7 customer service as well as the superior technology which has been seamlessly integrated into the hosting tools and services.
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Host NowNow
HostNowNow offers hosting service that is targeted at a wide range of individuals and companies which include low-income individuals, IT entrepreneurs, SMEs, Public Sector and Multinationals.
Overall, Host NowNow services include: Domain Registration, Shared, Dedicated and Reseller Hosting, Server Management, Web and Mobile Software Development and Web Design
Host NowNow is particularly known for their reseller hosting package which provides a platform for individuals and companies to have several hosting accounts on their server.
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VB HostNet
ViewBound Hosting NETwork (VBHOSTNET) is one of the leading companies in the country when it comes to quality and affordable hosting solutions.
The company is located in the Benin, Edo State and was established in 2010. Over the years, VB HostNet has rapidly grown because of their range of unique features. Some of these include: An easy to use control panel, 99% server uptime, High Security and 24/7 customer support
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Kivos
Located in Benin City, Edo State, Kivos is known for their affordable and top notch hosting service.
The company is a web development and maintenance company that also offers web hosting services.
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SmartWeb
SmartWeb is one of the prominent registrars of domain names in the country. Also, the company offers the traditional and the latest TLDs.
Overall, the services offered by SmartWeb include:
- Domain privacy services
- Domain registration
- Domain renewal and
- Domain transfer
The company is located in Jos and was established in 2004. SmartWeb has grown over the years to become one of the largest web hosting companies in the country with customers such as government organisation, private organisations as well as individuals.
8. Upper Link
Upper Link is a software development company that is also known for its web hosting capabilities. In fact, Upper Link is one of the leading .NG Domain Registrar in the country.
Currently, Upper Link is the only ICANN-accredited registrar in the country and one of the eight in Africa
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ZetaWeb Nigeria Limited (ZNL)
Zeta is one of the major ICT companies in the country providing world class technological services one of which is web hosting.
The company is known for offering consultancy services as well as excellent reliable hosting service which is tailored to meet the specific business needs of customers.
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Domain King
Established in 2008, DomainKing is a leading web hosting companies in the country. it is an Indian hosting company with a strong base in Nigeria as it is ranked as one of the popular hosting platforms
As the name implies, the company offers domain name registration and it is accredited by over 16 Asian and African domain registries. Also, Domain King is accredited by NIRA which is the .NG Domain Registry.
Overall, the services provided by Domain King include the following:
- Domain name registration
- Web Hosting
- WordPress Hosting
- Website Design
You can easily and securely buy any of the hosting packages offered by Domain King online because the company has been able to seamlessly integrate with the available local payment options.
Currently, Domain King has over 6000 websites hosted on their platform and the number keeps increasing by the day because of their excellent service and many freebies. Some of which include free DNS service, free privacy protection, free domain forwarding and many more.
Also, they have a very responsive and courteous customer service team that is available 24/7.
Below is an overview of the features of this web hosting service
Speed (C+) | Avg. Response Time (260.4 ms)
Key Features
- 10GB disk storage
- 100GB bandwidth
- 10 domains allowed
- cPanel
- 9% uptime
Web4Africa is another leading hosting company in the country providing Linux and Windows hosting.
According to Google Trend, Web4Africa is the second most popular web host in Nigeria. The performance of the company is quite strong and you can choose between servers in Ghana or Nigeria when selecting your package.
Web4Africa offers one of the cheapest hosting plans which goes for as low as as N3000. This plan is called the Mercury Plan and it comes with the following features: 500 MB Disk Space, 5 GB Bandwidth, Free Web Builder, Free Domain Name and 24/7 Full Support
However, the company has more expensive plans that go for as high as N30,000.
Below is an overview of the features of Web4Africa’s average hosting package
Speed (D+) | Avg. Response Time (408.1 ms) | Price (N24,000/year)
Key Features
- 20GB disk storage
- 200GB bandwidth
- Basic web builder
- SSL certificate
- Free backups
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Utiware
Utiware is another prominent hosting company offering Windows hosting. The company makes it easy to make payment with debit cards as it is well integrated with the local payment vendors in the country.
Utiware has its servers in the US which makes a great hosting plan for those that their website is tailored to the American audiences.
The price of the website hosting range from from N3,500 to N100,000 annually.
Also the company gives options of storage that range between 1 GB disk space to 30 G space.
Below is an overview of the key features of the Utiware hosting package
Speed (D) | Avg. Response Time (716.3 ms) | Price (N20,000/year)
Key Features
- 15GB disk storage
- 25GB bandwidth
- Unlimited sub-domains
- eTextMail included
- 120 emails
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Syskay systems
Syskay is one of the web hosting companies in the country. The company is known to have several excellent hosting plans, the lowest of them cost N6,000.
Other hosting companies in Nigeria include:
- Hostsleek.com
- Philmorehost.com
- Hihostnow.com.ng
- Byteshosting.net
I find this useful, I am a startup entrepreneur looking for guides on how to start. This was very helpful I must confess. Thanks
Nice one