How to Register/Buy Domain Name in Nigeria (2021)

Opening a website in Nigeria and in any part of the world requires a domain name because a domain name represents the name of your brand. A brand’s name is as important as the brand itself.

What good is it if you have a brand that does not have a name? My thought is as good as yours, it is baseless and insignificant. Before I proceed into the intent of this article which is how to register a domain name in Nigeria, I would love to give a brief description of what a domain name means.

A domain name is the name of your website i.e the name your website or brand bears, for example, the name of this website is ngsup.com.

A domain name is also the name that is typed on search engines when internet users need to access your website.

Having explained what a domain name is, let’s move to the next phase.

This is a do it you’re self-guide, with this guide you will be able to register your domain name yourself without contacting a third.

Domain name can be is used to identify a personal or business website online, depending on the purpose of the business, the only way to identify such business is through a domain name.

For knowledge purpose domain name is formed by rules and procedure of the Domain Name System.

We have different types of Domain Name system and they are top level domains, generic top level domains. Some of the prominent domain names are com, info, net, edu and org.

Before we delve into how to register a domain name in Nigeria, let’s look at the purpose of having a Domain name in Nigeria.

Purpose of Having a Domain Name

• Domain name is used to identify internet resources
• It is used as host identities for several computers
• Domain name is used to show ownership of a resource
• Domain name is used to identify unique identity

How to register a domain name in Nigeria

Registering a .ng isn’t as stressful as you think, all you need do is to follow the steps will be listed below.

Decide on your domain name

In choosing a brand name for your website, there are certain conditions that must be considered

• The name should be short: Your domain name should be short, it should be a name that people can easily assimilate.
• The name must be precise/specific: Your brand name should be able to pass information about what your website is all about. If you are thinking of opening a food website, it’s inappropriate for you to choose a name that best fit a News/Music website for a food website, that, of course, would pass the wrong information to Internet users.
• There are .ng domain extensions you can choose from and the others are restricted to certain people or organizations.

Nigeria Domain Extensions

• Com.ng – This extension signifies commercial entities. It welcomes businesses of any kind around the world.
• Org.ng – signifies organization. This extension is specifically for organizations.
• .ng – Nigeria. It’s for all Nigerians.

Restricted .ng extensions

• Net.ng: This is strictly meant for internet service providers.
• Gov.ng: This is specifically meant for government parastatals.
• Edu.ng: This is specifically meant for institutions in Nigeria that has been accredited by the Ministry of Education in Nigeria.
• Sch.ng: it is meant for institutions that are not for the edu.ng
• Mil.ng: This is specifically for the military in Nigeria and it is not open to the general public

Step 2: Visit a domain provider online

After you have chosen a domain name that fits your brand, visit a domain service provider online to get your domain name registered.
You can Visit NIRA or ICANN, they are both an accredited domain name registrar.

Step 3: Check availability of desired domain name

After visiting an accredited domain registrar, click on their domain checker tool to check if the domain name of your choice is available. If it is available click on the ORDER option displayed to you.

You can either choose a monthly subscription or annual subscription depending on what suits you. But usually, most domain registrars in Nigeria usually have an annual subscription plan for domain registration.

Step 4: Select a domain name and checkout

If after checking out the domain name on the domain checker tool, you discovered that the domain name of your choice has been taken or is not available, the domain checker tool would suggest multiple names you can choose from.

Just ensure you pick a name that is short, precise and specific.

Why a .ng

• A .ng is the certified ccTLD by ICANN for Nigeria.
• A .ng is preferable when you are targeting the Nigerian audience
• A .ng also provides job opportunities to IT Personnel.
• A .ng is affordable.

Domain Registration FAQ

How much is domain name in Nigeria?

The Prices of domain in Nigeria varies from registrar to registrars, for example:

• A .com.ng domain costs around 1000 naira to 2500 naira depending on the registrar/provider
• A .ng brandable domain name in Nigeria cost around 9000 naira to 15000 naira depending on the registrar

Other Prices of domain in Nigeria

How to buy a domain name in Nigeria?

On this page we have listed out the best domain registrars in Nigeria, you can signup with any of them to get your domain name registered.

Can you use .ng domain extension outside Nigeria?

Yes, it is possible to use a .ng extension outside Nigeria if you are a Nigerian in the diaspora

Where to buy a domain name in Nigeria?

You can buy your domain name easily following the steps we have mapped out here online from any of the registrars we have listed out.

How much does it cost to transfer a domain in Nigeria?

Below are some estimates of domain transfer price in Nigeria, please note that prices may slightly be different from service provider to service provider.

How much does domain renewal cost in Nigeria?

Listed below are some of Nigeria domain extensions and their renewal prices. Renewal prices are paid annually if you are still in business and want to keep your domain.

It is important to renew them before expiration so you do not lose the domain to another entity or business, usually, your registrar will constantly message you in the email or send your alerts when it is 60 days or more to your renewal, so you can prepare ahead to have your domain renewed before it eventually expires and you lose it.

There are grace periods after expiration, some registrars in Nigeria like Gigalayer are now adding an extra payment for owners to claim their domain back after the grace period, so be proactive and understand well the service of any registrar or provider before using them.

Best Domain Registrars in Nigeria

Domain King

Domainking is one of the leading providers of hosting and domain name registration service in Nigeria, their prices are not out of pocket and their user interface is user friendly and easy to navigate. Use the link below to register a domain name for cheap on Domainking today.

and if you also need a reliable and cheap web hosting package, you can as well use the service of domain king to get started.

 Whogohost

Whogohost is the leading provider of hosting and domain registration in Nigeria, you can use them to get an online presence that your business deserves, their platform is easy to use. Use this link to register cheaper for both hosting and domain on WHOGOHOST.

How to Get Free domain in Nigeria

It will interest you to know that you can get a.com domain for your business free in Nigeria, providers like Godaddy, Bluehost, Namecheap, and Hostinger are giving new subscribers free domain when they buy a hosting package, All you need do to get a free domain is to signup for any of their cheap hosting packages and get a domain FREE of any extra cost.