HostAfrica Review (Nigeria)
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Quick Answer
HostAfrica is the largest web host operating in Nigeria following its acquisition of GO54 (formerly WhoGoHost). Plans start at ₦2,500/month from a local Nigerian data centre with DirectAdmin, free SSL, and Naira billing. Their 4.9/5 TrustPilot rating across 1,790+ reviews is the highest among hosts serving Nigeria.
Pros
- Local Nigerian data centre via MainOne partnership — low latency for local visitors
- Highest customer satisfaction among hosts in Nigeria (TrustPilot 4.9/5, 1,790+ reviews)
- Naira pricing with local payment options — no USD currency risk
- Pan-African infrastructure across Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa
- Free SSL, Softaculous (400+ apps), and free .com.ng domain on annual plans
Cons
- DirectAdmin control panel — not cPanel, requires adjustment for cPanel users
- Promotional pricing jumps significantly on renewal (₦875 → ₦2,500/month)
- GO54 acquisition still integrating — some customers report transition issues
- VPS starts at ₦11,050/month — pricier than budget competitors
- Relatively new to Nigeria market despite pan-African scale
Plans and Pricing
HostAfrica offers three shared hosting tiers for the Nigerian market. All include DirectAdmin, free Let's Encrypt SSL, Softaculous auto-installer, and a free .com.ng domain with annual billing.
| Plan | Monthly Price | Promo Price | Storage | Bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shared Premium | ₦2,500 | ₦875/mo | 8GB SSD | 30GB |
| Shared Pro | ₦3,500 | ₦1,225/mo | 15GB SSD | 45GB |
| Shared Deluxe | ₦4,500 | ₦1,575/mo | 30GB SSD | 60GB |
Beyond shared hosting, HostAfrica offers Nigerian-located VPS from ₦11,050/month (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM, 20GB NVMe) with KVM virtualisation and NVMe storage. The VPS C4 plan at ₦36,550/month includes 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM, and 100GB NVMe. Dedicated servers start at ₦235,450/month with bare-metal IPMI access.
Watch the promotional pricing carefully. The ₦875/month introductory rate on the Shared Premium plan jumps to ₦2,500/month on renewal — nearly triple the sign-up price. Budget for the renewal rate from day one.
Setup and Control Panel
HostAfrica uses DirectAdmin rather than the more common cPanel. DirectAdmin handles the same core tasks — domain management, email setup, file management, and database administration — but the interface is different. If you're migrating from a cPanel host, expect a short learning curve.
The included Softaculous auto-installer lets you set up WordPress, Joomla, or other CMS platforms in a few clicks. DNS management and SSL configuration are handled through DirectAdmin's standard tools.
One practical benefit: DirectAdmin is lighter on server resources than cPanel, which can mean slightly better performance on shared hosting plans with the same specifications.
Support
Support quality is HostAfrica's strongest selling point. Their TrustPilot rating of 4.9/5 from 1,790+ reviews is exceptional for the hosting industry. Customers frequently mention individual staff members by name — a sign of consistent, personal service.
Live chat and ticket support are available during extended hours. Phone support is available during business hours. The main tradeoff is that this is not true 24/7 support. If your site goes down at 3am, you'll need to submit a ticket and wait. For Nigerian businesses needing round-the-clock coverage, this is worth considering against QServers, which offers chat support with a 15-minute target response time.
Infrastructure
This is where HostAfrica has a genuine advantage over most Nigerian competitors. They operate verified local infrastructure through a partnership with MainOne (now Equinix), giving Nigerian visitors low-latency connections to locally hosted sites.
The pan-African network spans data centres in Lagos (Nigeria), Johannesburg (South Africa), Accra (Ghana), and Nairobi (Kenya). VPS plans can be deployed specifically in the Nigerian location for optimal local performance.
For businesses concerned about NITDA data localisation requirements, HostAfrica's Nigerian infrastructure provides a compliance advantage over hosts like QServers that operate from US-based servers.
Who Should Choose HostAfrica
- Nigerian businesses needing local data centre infrastructure for low latency
- Site owners who want Naira pricing without USD currency exposure
- WordPress builders who want Softaculous one-click installation
- Businesses expanding across Africa (same provider in Nigeria, SA, Kenya, Ghana)
- Companies requiring NITDA-compliant local hosting
Who Should Look Elsewhere
- Users who specifically need cPanel — consider QServers or Truehost
- Budget-first buyers — Truehost starts at ₦1,275/month (on triennial billing)
- Businesses needing proven long-term Nigerian track record — QServers has 20 years in Nigeria
- Anyone concerned about acquisition integration — the GO54 merger is still settling
Alternatives
If HostAfrica isn't the right fit, consider these Nigerian alternatives:
- QServers — Nigeria's most reliable independent host with a 20-year track record and 99.99% uptime guarantee. US-based servers create latency tradeoffs but deliver proven stability. From ₦18,500/year.
- WhoGoHost/GO54 — Now owned by HostAfrica. If you're an existing GO54 customer, read our acquisition explainer to understand your options.
See our comparisons: HostAfrica vs QServers | HostAfrica vs WhoGoHost
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FAQ
Is HostAfrica good for WordPress in Nigeria?
Yes. All shared plans include Softaculous, which installs WordPress in a few clicks. HostAfrica uses LiteSpeed web servers for strong WordPress performance. The Nigerian data centre location means faster page loads for local visitors compared to US-hosted alternatives.
What happened with HostAfrica and WhoGoHost?
HostAfrica acquired GO54 (formerly WhoGoHost) in January 2025 as part of a broader pan-African expansion that also included Web4Africa, WebManager.NG, and DomainKing. Existing GO54 customers are being migrated to HostAfrica's infrastructure. Read our full WhoGoHost acquisition explainer.
Does HostAfrica use cPanel?
No. HostAfrica uses DirectAdmin for shared hosting in Nigeria. DirectAdmin handles the same tasks as cPanel but has a different interface. If you're specifically attached to cPanel, QServers offers it on their shared plans.
Can I pay in Naira?
Yes. HostAfrica prices all Nigerian plans in Naira and accepts local debit cards (Mastercard, Visa, Verve), bank transfers, and other local payment methods through Paystack and Flutterwave integration. No USD conversion needed.
How does HostAfrica compare to QServers?
HostAfrica offers local Nigerian infrastructure and pan-African scale. QServers offers a 20-year Nigerian track record with proven reliability but US-based servers. See our detailed HostAfrica vs QServers comparison.