A domain name is your address on the internet, such as yourbusiness.com.ng. Nigeria’s country domain, .ng, is managed by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA). You do not buy directly from NiRA: you register through an accredited registrar, a company approved to sell .ng domains.
Which extension should you choose?
| Extension | Typical use |
|---|---|
| .ng | Short and memorable, open to all |
| .com.ng | Businesses and commercial websites |
| .org.ng | Non-profits, churches, associations |
| .name.ng | Personal websites |
| .edu.ng, .gov.ng, .mil.ng | Restricted to approved schools, government and military bodies |
Many businesses register both a .ng name and a .com name, and point both to the same website.
Step by step
- Choose your name. Keep it short, easy to spell and close to your business name. Avoid hyphens and numbers if you can.
- Check availability with a domain search on an accredited registrar’s website.
- Pick a registrar. NiRA publishes its list of accredited registrars on its website. Compare prices for the first year and for renewals, because renewals are often higher.
- Register the domain in your own name or your company’s name, with an email address you control. This is important: if a web designer registers it in their name, you may struggle to move it later.
- Pay and confirm. Registration is usually for one year or more.
- Connect it to your website hosting and business email by updating the domain’s DNS settings.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting it expire. Turn on auto-renew and keep your contact email up to date so you receive renewal reminders.
- Not owning your login. Make sure you have the registrar account details, not just your developer.
- Ignoring security. Use a strong password and two-step verification on your registrar account, and keep domain locking turned on.
- Choosing a name that is hard to say on the phone. Test it by telling a friend.
Do you need help?
If you would like a website, business email and domain set up together, WebBuild Tech can help. We register domains in the client’s name so you always stay in control.
