Domain Name Prices Keep Changing: What Nigerian Businesses Should Expect

If you run a business website in Nigeria, you have probably noticed that the renewal notice for your domain name rarely shows the same figure twice. Sometimes the change comes from the registry that runs the extension, sometimes from your registrar, and sometimes from the naira exchange rate. This explainer is for business owners, IT officers and freelancers who manage domains for clients and want to understand why prices move, how long the changes are likely to continue, and what they can do to keep costs predictable.

Key takeaways

• The wholesale price of a .com domain rises by 7% on 1 November 2026, from US$10.26 to roughly US$10.98 before registrar fees, according to registrar reports.
• The contract between Verisign and ICANN allows up to 7% increases in four of every six years, so further rises are possible each year until about 2030.
• .ng prices have moved both ways: a cut of about 40% in 2022, then a registry increase in February 2025.
• For Nigerian buyers of .com, the naira exchange rate can matter as much as the dollar price.
• Renewing early, consolidating domains and reviewing which names you still need are the most practical ways to control costs.

Who actually sets the price of a domain name?

A domain name passes through three layers before it reaches you, and each layer can change the price.

The registry

Every extension has one registry operator that keeps the master database. Verisign runs .com. The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) runs .ng and its second-level options such as .com.ng and .org.ng. The registry charges a wholesale fee for each year a name is registered.

The registrar

Registrars are the companies you actually buy from, such as local hosting firms or international registrars. NiRA works on what it calls a 3R model (Registry, Registrar, Registrant), which means it does not sell directly to the public and does not publish its wholesale prices. Registrars add their own margin, payment processing costs and, for generic extensions like .com, a small ICANN fee.

The registrant (you)

You pay the retail price. Because registrars often sell close to cost, as the registrar Porkbun notes in its own explanation, a wholesale increase is usually passed straight on to customers at the next renewal.

The .com price battle: what is changing on 1 November 2026

The .com extension is the most widely used in the world, and its pricing is governed by an agreement between Verisign and ICANN, the body that coordinates the domain name system.

A short price history

According to figures published by the registrar Openprovider, the .com wholesale price was frozen at US$7.85 from January 2012 until August 2021. It then rose each year: US$8.39 in September 2021, US$8.97 in 2022, US$9.59 in 2023 and US$10.26 in September 2024. There was no increase in 2025.

The 2026 increase

Verisign’s next 7% increase takes effect on 1 November 2026. Industry reporting by WebHosting.Today describes it as the first step in a four-year pricing cycle, and 7% on US$10.26 brings the wholesale price to roughly US$10.98. Registrars then add their own fees, so the retail price you see will be higher. Porkbun, for example, told customers to expect about US$11.81 at its checkout after the change.

Why the rises can continue

The Verisign and ICANN agreement allows the registry to raise the maximum price by up to 7% in four of every six years. Openprovider says the current six-year window runs to November 2030 and that up to three more increases are permitted after this one. If every allowed increase is taken, analysts estimate the wholesale price could reach roughly US$13.40 to US$13.45 by the end of the cycle. That is a ceiling, not a forecast; Verisign has skipped increases before, as it did in 2025.

The .ng story: cuts, rises and new proposals

Nigeria’s own extension has followed a different path, shaped by local policy goals rather than a single contract.

The 2022 price cut

In early 2022 NiRA announced a review of .ng pricing from 1 March, with a discount of around 40% on second-level .ng names. Its then president explained that pricing was the main barrier to adoption because Nigerian buyers are price-sensitive. At the time, Technology Times found registrars listing .ng at roughly ₦8,500 to ₦12,000 and .com.ng mostly between ₦899 and ₦1,500.

The 2025 increase

Registry prices rose again on 1 February 2025. The Rio Times reported that by 2026 registrars were listing .ng at around ₦15,000 and .com.ng at around ₦7,000, while a February 2026 pricing guide showed .ng at ₦13,000 and third-level names at ₦6,000 before 7.5% VAT. Registrars also run promotions; Whogohost, for example, advertised .com.ng from ₦3,000 and .ng from ₦9,200 during a time-limited offer in March 2026. Always check what the renewal price will be after any first-year discount ends.

What NiRA is proposing now

In August 2026, The Rio Times reported several policy directions from NiRA. These are proposals, not final changes:

• SME bundles that combine a .com.ng name with basic hosting and a simple website through accredited registrars.
• Vouchers that would subsidise wholesale fees for small firms through agencies such as SMEDAN and the Bank of Industry.
• A trademark notification service that alerts brand owners when similar names are registered under .ng, .com.ng and .org.ng.
• Pressure for an executive order requiring government agencies to use .ng.

NiRA has also said Nigeria loses about ₦60 billion a year to foreign domain registrations, which helps explain why it wants local names to be more attractive.

Why domain prices keep changing

Pulling these threads together, five forces explain most of the movement you see on your invoices.

1. Registry contracts. For .com, the ICANN agreement sets how often and how much prices may rise. As long as that clause stays, small annual increases remain possible.
2. Policy goals. NiRA has cut prices to boost adoption and raised them when its costs or strategy changed. Proposed vouchers and bundles could lower the effective cost for small firms again.
3. Exchange rates. Dollar-priced extensions like .com are billed in dollars at the wholesale level. When the naira weakens, the naira price rises even if the dollar price does not. The Rio Times calculated its 2026 conversions at about ₦1,357 to the dollar, far from the ₦416 rate it used for 2022.
4. Registrar strategy. Registrars use cheap first-year deals to win customers and recover margin on renewals. This is why the price you paid once is not the price you pay forever.
5. Taxes and fees. VAT on local purchases and card processing fees on international ones add to the base price.

How long will prices continue to change?

No one can give an exact date, but the sources point to a few reasonable expectations.

• .com: Under the current contract, further increases of up to 7% a year are allowed until around 2030. Whether Verisign takes each one is its decision, but the direction is upward, not downward. Porkbun’s own advice is blunt: the .com price can only increase.
• .ng: Prices depend on NiRA’s policy choices. If the SME vouchers and bundles go ahead, small businesses may see lower effective costs, but no start date or price has been announced.
• The naira factor: For any dollar-priced extension, your local cost will keep tracking the exchange rate.

In short, expect change to be normal rather than occasional. Planning for it is cheaper than reacting to it.

Practical ways to control your domain costs

1. Audit your domain list

List every domain your business owns, its extension, the registrar, the expiry date and whether auto-renew is on. Many organisations pay for old campaign names or typo domains they no longer need.

2. Decide whether to renew early

Renewals completed before 1 November 2026 are charged at the old .com price, and early renewal adds time from your current expiry date without wasting time already paid for. Porkbun notes you can renew up to 10 years ahead. For an individual business with a few important names, locking in several years can make sense. Openprovider points out that for large portfolios it only pays off if you are confident you will keep the names, so weigh the saving against the risk of paying for domains you later drop.

3. Compare renewal prices, not first-year prices

When choosing a registrar, ask for the standard renewal price and any transfer fees. A cheap first year followed by a steep renewal is a common trap.

4. Consider your extension strategy

If most of your customers are in Nigeria, a .ng or .com.ng name can be cheaper to keep, is paid in naira and signals a local presence. Many businesses keep both: a .com.ng for local trust and a .com to protect the brand internationally.

5. Protect the names that matter

Turn on auto-renew for your main domain and keep a valid payment method on file. Losing a domain because a card expired can cost far more than any price increase. Also check that your registrar supports security features; The Rio Times reported that only 15 of 164 accredited .ng registrars had adopted DNSSEC.

Frequently asked questions

Will my .com price go up even if I registered years ago?

Yes. Increases apply at renewal, regardless of when you first registered. Only years you have already paid for are protected.

Is .ng cheaper than .com?

It depends on the registrar and the exchange rate. Third-level names like .com.ng are generally among the cheapest options, while second-level .ng names are priced higher. Compare current quotes in naira.

Can a registrar charge more than the registry increase?

Registrars set their own retail prices, so yes. That is why comparing renewal prices across accredited registrars is worth doing every few years.

Does NiRA sell domains directly?

No. NiRA works through accredited registrars, which handle sales and support.

Next steps

• Before 1 November 2026, check which of your .com domains expire in the next year and decide whether to renew them early.
• Build a simple domain register with expiry dates, registrars and owners, and review it twice a year.
• Budget for small annual increases on .com until at least 2030, and add a buffer for exchange-rate movement.
• Watch for NiRA announcements on SME bundles and vouchers if you run a small business.
• Keep auto-renew on for your core domains so a price change never becomes a lost website.

Sources

• Openprovider: What the .com price increase in 2026 means for your domain portfolio
• Porkbun: Why did .com prices go up and how high will they go?
• WebHosting.Today: Verisign starts a four-year .com price cycle
• The Rio Times: NiRA pushes cheaper .ng domain costs and trademark alerts
• Technology Times: Nigeria to cut .ng domain prices by 40%
• Techeconomy: Whogohost .com.ng and .ng domain promotion

Featured image: Photo: “computer keyboard” by abegum, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse — source