How do I start a web hosting business in Ghana?

Step by step

1. Register the business. Register your business name or company with the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) and get a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN; for individuals, the Ghana Card PIN) from the Ghana Revenue Authority. Clients and banks will ask for both.
2. Pick your niche. Web designers, schools, churches, small businesses in Kumasi or Takoradi: a clear audience is easier to win than “everyone”.
3. Get a reseller hosting plan. Reseller hosting gives you WHM to create cPanel accounts under your brand, from ₵250 a month.
4. Sell domains too. Join our free domain reseller program: sign up, open a ticket to activate reseller pricing, and download our WHMCS registrar module from the client area.
5. Set up billing. WHMCS automates orders, invoices, card and mobile money payments, renewals and suspensions.
6. Build your website with your plans, prices, terms, privacy policy and contact details. You’ll hold client data, so read up on the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) and registering with the Data Protection Commission.
7. Create your packages and sell. For example Starter, Business and Pro, with clear limits. Start with people you know, offer free migration and answer quickly: good support keeps hosting clients for years.

What it costs to start

• A reseller plan (monthly or yearly).
• Domain balance for the domains you sell.
• A WHMCS licence for billing (free on several Hostnali reseller plans).
• Your own domain and website.

Pricing your plans

Price for value, not just to be cheapest: include setup help, free SSL, email and support. Bundle a domain with yearly plans, and sell yearly to keep renewals steady.

Growing further

When you have many clients, move up to master reseller hosting to sell reseller accounts too, or run your own VPS with a cPanel licence. Our reseller guides cover every step in more detail.