.africa is the continent's own generic top-level domain, endorsed by the African Union and operated by Registry Africa with ZACR, the South African registry, providing the technical back end. Delegated in 2017 after a long ICANN process, it gives businesses and institutions a single ending that speaks for the whole continent rather than one country.
The extension suits organisations whose ambitions cross borders: a Nairobi logistics platform expanding into Kampala and Kigali, a Lagos fintech eyeing francophone West Africa, a Johannesburg conference brand, or a diaspora venture marketing pan-African services from London. Where a country code would understate the footprint, .africa states it exactly, and it reads well on everything from trade-show banners to investor decks.
ATCOS Domains registers .africa on GoDaddy's platform with terms up to ten years, unusual among the African-market extensions we carry, so pan-African brands can lock the name down long-term. Combine it with hosting, professional email, and SSL, and one order covers a launch that would otherwise mean juggling several country-specific registrations.
Who .africa is built for
- Companies trading across multiple African markets replace a clutter of country-code sites with one .africa brand and per-country landing pages beneath it.
- Pan-African NGOs, industry bodies, and events choose .africa so no single member country appears to own an initiative meant for the continent.
- Nigerian, Kenyan, and South African exporters marketing to each other's markets use .africa to avoid looking foreign in any of them.
- Diaspora founders in the UK or Netherlands building for African customers signal authentic continental focus with a .africa address from day one.
- Agencies pitching regional expansion work can register a client's .africa alongside its national domains, presenting brand protection as part of the strategy.
Registration is open to individuals and organisations worldwide; the African Union's endorsement did not translate into residency requirements. Premium and reserved names, including many geographic and government-related terms, are held back or specially priced by the registry.
.africa — Frequently asked questions
Who is behind the .africa domain?
Registry Africa operates the extension with the ZA Central Registry as its technical backbone, following a formal endorsement from the African Union that settled a contested ICANN application process. General availability began in 2017. Revenue and governance stay on the continent, which was much of the point of pursuing a continental top-level domain in the first place.
Can businesses outside Africa register .africa names?
Yes. Despite early debate about eligibility, the zone is open to registrants worldwide, so a London-based company serving African markets can register without an African office. Reserved lists protect country names, major city names, and certain cultural terms from speculation. If a name you want shows as unavailable despite no visible website, a registry reservation is often why.
Is .africa treated as one country for SEO?
No. As a generic top-level domain it carries no automatic geographic targeting, so search engines let you aim it wherever your content and Search Console settings indicate. That makes it more flexible than a country code: the same .africa site can rank in Kenya with Kenyan content and in Nigeria with Nigerian content.
What terms and protections does .africa offer?
Standard gTLD mechanics apply: one-to-ten-year registrations, EPP authorisation-code transfers, and a renewal grace window followed by a redemption period after expiry, all compatible with WHOIS privacy services. Trademark holders could use the ICANN Trademark Clearinghouse during launch phases, and ongoing rights-protection rules still allow disputes through the URS and UDRP.