How Much Does a Fashion Website Cost in Nigeria?

How much a fashion website costs in Nigeria depends on two things: the one-time setup cost (design, photos and product upload) and the monthly running cost (platform, apps, payment fees and upkeep). There's no fixed price, because a simple store you set up yourself and a custom site built by an agency are very different jobs, so the useful approach is to price each cost line separately.

This guide lists every cost line, gives you a worksheet to fill in with real quotes, and explains where brands overspend. If your website will sell to buyers who can't visit you, our guide to virtual try-on for African fashion brands covers how to show fit online.

Why is there no single price for a fashion website?

Website prices in Nigeria vary widely, and naira prices change with exchange rates because many platforms and tools bill in dollars. We don't quote naira figures here for that reason. A price that was right a few months ago may not be right today.

What doesn't change is the list of things you pay for. Once you know the list, you can collect quotes and compare them fairly.

What are the one-time setup costs?

These are costs you pay once, or once in a while.

Cost line	What it covers	Ways to save
Domain name	Your .com or .com.ng address, renewed yearly	Buy it yourself so you always control it
Theme	The design template	Start with a free theme and upgrade later
Design and setup	Layout, menus, pages and settings	Do basic setup yourself, hire help for tricky parts
Product photos	Shoots of each piece, ideally on a model	Shoot best sellers first, in daylight
Product upload	Writing descriptions and entering products	Use one template for every description
Logo and branding	Logo, colors and fonts	Use what you already use on Instagram

Photos are where many Nigerian brands should spend more, not less. Clear photos of real bodies sell clothes better than any design effect.

What are the monthly running costs?

These come every month or every year, and they add up.

• Platform fee: a monthly plan on hosted platforms like Shopify, or hosting fees for WooCommerce.
• Apps or extensions: features like reviews, size guides, try-on or currency switching.
• Payment fees: charged per sale by your payment provider.
• Email and messaging tools: if you send newsletters or order updates.
• Maintenance: updates, fixes and small changes, especially on self-hosted sites.
• Marketing: ads, influencer fees and content, which many brands forget to budget for.

Our comparison of Shopify vs WooCommerce for Nigerian brands explains how these costs differ between the two platforms.

How do you budget with a worksheet?

Copy this table into a spreadsheet and fill it in with real quotes. Ask at least two web designers in Lagos, Abuja or wherever you are for itemized quotes, so you can compare line by line.

Cost line	One-time cost	Monthly cost	Paid in	Quote from
Domain
Platform or hosting
Theme
Design and setup
Photos
Product upload
Apps or extensions
Payment fees
Maintenance
Marketing
Total

The "Paid in" column matters. If a cost is charged in dollars, your naira cost will move with the exchange rate. Plan a buffer for that.

What should you ask a web designer before you pay?

A clear quote protects you. Ask these questions before any deposit:

1. What exactly is included, page by page?
2. How many products will you upload, and who writes the descriptions?
3. Who owns the domain, hosting account and store account? (It should be you.)
4. How many rounds of changes are included?
5. Will you train me to add products and process orders?
6. What happens if something breaks after launch, and what does support cost?
7. Will the site be tested on phones with mobile data?

Get the answers in writing. A designer who won't itemize a quote may be hard to hold to it later.

Where do Nigerian fashion brands overspend?

These are common places money goes without much return.

• Custom design before proven sales. A clean theme with good photos is enough to start.
• Too many apps. Each one adds cost and can slow the site. Add apps only when you have a clear need.
• Paying for features nobody uses, such as complex animations or blogs that never get posts.
• Not owning your accounts. If a designer registers the domain in their name, you may pay later to get it back.

And one place brands often underspend: photos and size guides. These directly answer what buyers ask before they order.

How do you show prices in naira and dollars?

If you sell to diaspora buyers in the UK and US, showing prices in their currency can help them decide. This often needs a platform setting or an app, which adds to your running cost.

Our guide to showing prices in naira and dollars explains how to set this up on Shopify and what to watch out for.

How much does adding virtual try-on cost?

Try-on and size recommendations are a monthly running cost, so put them in your worksheet. ZeDaq.ai lists its prices in dollars on the ZeDaq.ai pricing page:

Plan	Price	Notes
Free	$0	3 try-ons, 3 measurements and 5 invoices a month
Micro	$14/mo
Starter	$49/mo
Growth	$129/mo
Scale	$299/mo

Every paid plan has a 3-day free trial with no card required. Check the pricing page for current plan limits before you budget.

With ZeDaq.ai, a shopper uploads one photo and sees your real garment on their body, and a 30-second body scan recommends a size from your own size chart. For a closer look at how plan size relates to store size, read our breakdown of what try-on costs a small store.

What is a sensible way to start?

Start small and grow the site as sales grow.

1. Launch with your best sellers on a simple theme.
2. Spend on good photos and a clear size guide.
3. Add apps one at a time, when a real need appears.
4. Review your running costs every few months and cancel what you don't use.

If fit questions are slowing your sales, try-on is a running cost worth testing early.

FAQs

Is it cheaper to build the website myself?

It can save setup costs, especially on hosted platforms with guided setup. It costs your time, so weigh that against hiring help for the harder parts.

Should I pay for a website in naira or dollars?

Many platform and app fees are charged in dollars, while local designers often quote in naira. Track both in your budget and allow for exchange rate changes.

Do I need a .com.ng domain?

Not necessarily. A .com.ng can signal a Nigerian business, and a .com may suit diaspora buyers. Choose one that is short and easy to spell.

What monthly cost do brands most often forget?

Payment fees and app subscriptions. They're small per sale or per app, but they add up over a year.