How do I start a web hosting business in Tanzania?

Step by step

1. Pick your niche. Web designers, schools, tour operators, small businesses in Dar es Salaam, Arusha or your own town: a clear audience is easier to win than “everyone”.
2. Register the business. Register a business name or company with BRELA and get a TIN from the Tanzania Revenue Authority, plus any business licence your local authority requires.
3. Get a reseller hosting plan. Reseller hosting gives you WHM to create cPanel accounts under your brand, from TZS 55,000 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, payments, renewals and suspensions.
6. Build your website with your plans, prices, terms and contact details. Your clients’ personal data falls under the Personal Data Protection Act, 2022, so publish a privacy policy.
7. Create your packages: for example Starter, Business and Pro, with clear limits on storage and email accounts.
8. Sell and support. Start with people you know, offer free migration, and answer quickly. Good support is what 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 the cheapest: include setup help, free SSL, email and support. Bundle a .co.tz 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.