Website Cost in Nigeria: A Naira-by-Naira Breakdown for 2026
Ask five web designers what a website costs and you'll hear five different numbers, from "₦30,000" to "₦1 million". That makes planning hard. The truth is that website cost in Nigeria depends on three choices: who builds it, where it's hosted and what it needs to do.
This guide breaks the cost into naira, line by line, so you can budget with confidence and spot quotes that are too good, or too expensive, to be true.
Quick answer: a business owner who builds their own WordPress site can be online for around ₦20,000 in the first year (domain plus hosting). A professionally designed business website usually costs ₦100,000 and up as a one-off fee, plus yearly domain and hosting renewals. Online stores cost more because of payments, products and delivery features.
The costs every website has
| What you pay for | What it is | Typical yearly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | yourbusiness.com.ng or .ng | ₦7,000/year for .com.ng |
| Hosting | Where your website lives online | from ₦1,195/month, or less paid yearly |
| SSL certificate | The "https" padlock security | Free on good hosting |
| Business email | info@yourbusiness.com.ng | Free with most hosting plans |
| Design | How the site looks and works | ₦0 (DIY) to a one-off designer fee |
Only two of these are unavoidable: the domain and the hosting. Choosing the right domain is covered in our guide to choosing a Nigerian business domain.
Website cost in Nigeria by build option
1. Do it yourself (WordPress)
You register a domain, buy hosting, install WordPress in one click and pick a theme.
- Year one: about ₦20,000 for a .com.ng domain and basic yearly hosting
- Time: a weekend for a simple 5-page site
- Good for: small service businesses, consultants, creators, NGOs
2. Hire a freelancer
Freelancer prices in Nigeria vary widely, from under ₦100,000 for a basic site to several hundred thousand naira for custom work. Always confirm what's included: pages, revisions, content upload, training, and who owns the domain and hosting.
3. Hire an agency or web design company
You get a structured process, a designer and a developer, and support after launch. SternHost's web design packages, for example, start from ₦125,000 (one-off) for a corporate website, with the domain and hosting free for the first year. An e-commerce website is ₦195,500 (one-off).
What makes a website more expensive
- Online payments: Paystack or Flutterwave checkout, receipts and order management. (See how to accept Paystack payments on WordPress.)
- Many products: each one needs photos, descriptions and prices.
- Custom features: booking systems, member logins, school portals and result checkers.
- Content: professional photos and copywriting.
- Speed and security work: important for Nigerian visitors on mobile data (see why some sites are slow on MTN and Airtel).
Three example budgets
To make the numbers concrete, here's what three typical Nigerian businesses might spend in year one.
A caterer in Ibadan (do it yourself). A five-page WordPress site with a menu, photos, a contact form and a WhatsApp button. Costs: a .com.ng domain and basic yearly hosting, so about ₦20,000. The owner spends one weekend building it and an hour a month updating the menu.
A private school in Abuja (professionally designed). Pages for admissions, fees, news, a gallery and an online application form, built by a web design company. Costs: a one-off design fee (SternHost's corporate package is from ₦125,000 (one-off), with domain and hosting free in year one), then renewals from year two. The school also adds a result checker later as an extra.
A fashion brand in Lagos (online store). Product pages, a cart, Paystack checkout, delivery options and customer accounts. Costs: an e-commerce build (₦195,500 (one-off) at SternHost), plus time to photograph and upload products, and payment gateway fees on each sale. It costs more upfront, but replaces hours of "DM for price" chats every week.
In every case, the biggest hidden cost is time: who will update the site after launch? Agree on that before you start.
How to save money without cutting corners
- Pay for hosting yearly instead of monthly. Annual plans usually work out cheaper.
- Start small. Launch with the five pages that matter and add features once customers ask for them.
- Use your own photos. A phone camera in good daylight beats generic stock images, and costs nothing.
- Write your own first draft of the text. A designer can polish it, but you know your business best.
- Don't pay for "lifetime" anything. Domains and hosting renew yearly everywhere; "lifetime" offers usually mean the provider controls your site.
The yearly costs people forget
The build is one-off; these come back every year:
- Domain renewal: if it lapses, your website and email stop.
- Hosting renewal: check renewal prices, not just the first-year offer.
- Updates and maintenance: WordPress, plugins and themes need regular updates.
- Your time: adding products, posting updates, answering enquiries.
Red flags in a website quote
- The designer registers the domain in their own name. Insist it's in yours.
- Very cheap "lifetime hosting" with no clear provider or backups.
- No mention of SSL, backups or who handles updates.
- No handover: you should get admin access to your own website.
A realistic starter budget
| Item | Year one |
|---|---|
| .com.ng domain | ₦7,000/year |
| Hosting with free SSL, email and daily backups | from ₦1,195/month (or about ₦13,000 paid yearly) |
| Premium theme (optional) | Free to modest one-off cost |
| Total for a DIY site | about ₦20,000 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average website cost in Nigeria?
For a do-it-yourself WordPress site, around ₦20,000 in the first year for domain and hosting. For a professionally designed business website, from about ₦100,000 as a one-off fee, plus yearly renewals.
Is a free website good enough for a Nigerian business?
Free builders put their brand in your address and limit what you can do. A real domain and hosting cost less than many people spend on data each month, and look far more trustworthy.
Can I pay for hosting in naira?
Yes. SternHost bills in naira, so you don't need a dollar card.
Who should own my domain name?
You. Make sure the domain is registered in your name or your company's name, with your email address, even if a designer sets it up.
Start your website for less than you think
You don't need half a million naira to look professional online. You need a domain in your name, reliable hosting and a clear plan. SternHost hosting starts from ₦1,195/month, billed in naira, with free SSL, unlimited business email, daily backups and one-click WordPress included.
Choose a SternHost hosting plan from ₦1,195/month and get online this week. Prefer to have it built for you? See our web design packages.
