HostAfrica vs WhoGoHost/GO54 (Nigeria)

What You Need to Know

HostAfrica and WhoGoHost/GO54 are no longer competitors — they're the same company. HostAfrica acquired GO54 in January 2025, making this less of a comparison and more of a transition guide.

WhoGoHost was founded in 2007 and was one of Nigeria's oldest hosting providers, managing over 100,000 domains. It rebranded to GO54 in 2023 before being acquired by Cape Town-based HostAfrica. This acquisition was part of a larger consolidation that also brought Web4Africa, WebManager.NG, and DomainKing under HostAfrica's umbrella.

If you arrived here searching for "HostAfrica vs WhoGoHost" — the decision is now about whether to stay with the combined entity or switch to an independent host like QServers.

Choose HostAfrica Direct If…

• You're a new customer looking for Nigerian hosting — sign up directly with HostAfrica
• You want the latest infrastructure (NVMe storage, KVM virtualisation)
• Pan-African hosting across Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana matters
• You want the full current product range including Nigerian-located VPS
• You're comfortable with DirectAdmin (or don't have a strong cPanel preference)

Choose to Stay on GO54 If…

• Your current hosting is working fine and migration would disrupt your business
• You want to keep your existing cPanel setup for as long as possible
• You've locked in a favourable legacy price that may be lower than current HostAfrica rates
• You prefer to wait and see how the integration plays out before making changes

Detailed Breakdown

What Changed in the Acquisition

The core infrastructure — Lagos data centre via MainOne — remains the same. What changed is the parent company, branding, product lineup, and control panel direction. HostAfrica is standardising on DirectAdmin across its African operations, replacing GO54's cPanel setup over time.

For existing GO54 customers, the practical impact depends on where you are in the migration timeline. Some accounts have already been moved to HostAfrica's platform; others are still running on legacy GO54 infrastructure. Check your account dashboard or contact support to understand your current status.

Pricing Differences

HostAfrica's current Nigerian pricing starts at ₦2,500/month (₦875 promotional) for shared hosting. Legacy GO54 customers may be on different pricing tiers. When your plan renews, expect to see HostAfrica's current rates rather than historical GO54 pricing.

If you're on a favourable legacy rate, consider locking in a longer billing cycle before migration forces a price change — if that option is still available on your account.

The Independent Alternative

If the acquisition concerns you — whether because of the control panel change, pricing uncertainty, or preference for a Nigerian-owned host — QServers is the strongest independent alternative. They offer cPanel, a 20-year track record, and 99.99% uptime from ₦18,500/year. The tradeoff is US-based servers rather than local Nigerian infrastructure.

FAQ

Are HostAfrica and WhoGoHost the same company?

Yes, since January 2025. HostAfrica acquired GO54 (the rebranded WhoGoHost). They now operate under HostAfrica's management with shared infrastructure. New customers should sign up directly with HostAfrica.

Will my GO54 website keep working?

Yes. Existing hosting plans continue to operate during the transition. Your site won't go down because of the acquisition. However, monitor for any migration communications from HostAfrica about changes to your control panel or pricing.

Should I switch to QServers?

Consider QServers if you want an independent Nigerian-owned host with cPanel and a 20-year track record. The tradeoff is US-based servers (higher latency for Nigerian visitors). If local infrastructure matters more than independence, staying with HostAfrica makes sense. See our QServers review.

What happened to WhoGoHost's cPanel?

HostAfrica uses DirectAdmin rather than cPanel. Existing GO54 accounts with cPanel may be transitioned to DirectAdmin during migration. If cPanel is essential to your workflow, plan accordingly — either lock in your current setup or consider QServers, which uses cPanel.

See full reviews: HostAfrica review | QServers review | WhoGoHost acquisition explainer | Best hosting in Nigeria

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