Most Nigerian founders, students, and freelancers do not have a professional website. Not because they lack the skills or the idea, but because the upfront cost — domain, hosting, email, SSL — feels like a barrier when there are more urgent things to spend money on.
The Digital Identity Initiative (DII) removes that barrier completely for year one.
What is included in the DII
Every approved applicant receives the following at no cost for the first 12 months:
A free domain name
Choose from .name.ng, .com.ng, or .ng — the extensions that establish a clearly Nigerian digital identity. Your domain is registered in your name and is yours to keep even if you do not renew with us.
Free shared web hosting
LiteSpeed web server with CloudLinux container isolation, free SSL certificate, and enough resources to run a professional website, blog, or portfolio. The same infrastructure that powers our paid plans — not a stripped-down trial.
Free business email (up to 5 addresses)
Your own @yourdomain.ng email addresses. No @gmail in your business communications from day one.
AI website builder access
Generate your full website from a text prompt. Our builder produces templates for any industry — services, portfolio, e-commerce, events. No design skills required.
Who qualifies
The DII is open to:
- Founders and entrepreneurs whose businesses are registered for less than 24 months and operating from Nigeria
- Students and recent graduates building a professional presence
- Freelancers and independent creators who need an online home for their work
- Community organisations — registered non-profits, clubs, and community groups with a Nigerian presence
We do not require proof of revenue, registration papers, or guarantees of any kind. The application is a short form. Most qualifying applicants are approved within 2 business days.
What happens after year one
We send a renewal notice 30 days before any charge. You choose to continue at our standard rates (from $3.99/mo for hosting, standard domain prices) or let the services lapse. There is no obligation, no auto-charge without notice, and no credit card required during the free period.
How to apply
Go to onenetservers.net/digital-identity and complete the short application form. Name, email, category, and a brief description of what you will use the website for. That is all.
Applications are reviewed by our Lagos-based team. We will email you within 2 business days.