Why African businesses should keep web hosting local

28 Apr 2021

Savvy businesses across Africa are constantly seeking more cost-effective, reliable, and secure avenues to do business. When it comes to web hosting, it must be fast, flexible, and offer users easy management access. While these businesses may have looked to offshore hosting options in the past, Africa's homegrown hosting solutions are proving highly beneficial across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.

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Hosting should be a strategic business decision – and one that takes the necessary pros and cons into consideration. I believe that African businesses will enjoy greater website security by choosing the right, local hosting company. It is safer to host your website in Africa, rather than offshore in Western Europe and North America.

In addition to enhanced safety, there are various pros for hosting in Africa. Firstly, with local hosting, businesses enjoy low latency, meaning that the speed at which the server is reached is superior to that of offshore hosting. This ensures a better experience when navigating the related website. It is also of great value to note that hard forex would not need to be purchased for foreign hosting, keeping funds within the local economy, and supporting local jobs. Lastly, local support means not needing to work according to different time zones. It is hard to beat the convenience of garnering support from an agent who understands the nuisances of the particular business environment and follows the same working hours as the customer.

Conversely, when hosting offshore, organisations may face capital flight issues. When local currency is converted into US Dollars or Euros to transact with foreign hosts, the local economy will be negatively impacted over time. Compounding this issue is the loss of local jobs. Offshore hosted services are also typically less responsive when compared to local servers.

From a cost perspective, the host should offer reasonable, competitive rates in local currencies. The support team must be proven to be responsive, reliable, and knowledgeable to offer a top-class service. Capitalising on the lower latency associated with selecting a hosting provider in Africa, customers should enjoy excellent speed of access.