If you’re a Nigerian SME planning to sell online, one of the first big questions is: Should I use WooCommerce, Shopify, or another platform entirely? Choosing the wrong platform can make your store harder to manage, more expensive than expected, or unable to grow with your business.
In this guide, we’ll break down WooCommerce and Shopify in simple language, look at how they fit Lagos and Nigerian businesses, and briefly mention other options you should know about. By the end, you’ll be able to choose the platform that matches your budget, skills and growth plans.
What do Nigerian SMEs really need from an ecommerce platform?
Before comparing tools, get clear on your real needs:
How many products do you plan to sell now and in the next 12–24 months?
Do you (or your team) have any technical skills or a web person already?
Do you want full control of your website, or prefer something “done for you”?
How important is deep customisation vs speed and simplicity?
What is your realistic monthly budget for hosting, apps and maintenance?
Globally, guides consistently show that Shopify wins on ease of use and quick setup, while WooCommerce wins on flexibility and control, especially if you’re already on WordPress. For most Nigerian SMEs, the right choice often depends on your mix of budget, tech comfort, and how fast you want to launch.
WooCommerce: flexible and cost‑effective if you love WordPress
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is a free ecommerce plugin that turns a WordPress website into a full online store. It’s very popular worldwide and sits on top of WordPress, which powers a huge part of the web.
Pros of WooCommerce for Nigerian SMEs
Full control and ownership
Your store sits on your own hosting and domain.
You can customise almost everything: design, checkout, SEO, and functionality.
Great for SEO and content marketing
WordPress + WooCommerce gives you strong blogging and SEO tools, which is ideal if you want to drive traffic from Google over time.
Cost flexibility
The plugin itself is free. You pay for domain, hosting, and only the extra plugins/features you really need.
For most Nigerian SMEs, this can offer a good balance of cost and control when set up properly.
Local hosting and payment options
You can host your store on Nigerian or African servers if you want.
Many local payment gateways offer official or community plugins for WooCommerce.
Cons of WooCommerce for Nigerian SMEs
Needs more technical support
Setup, security, backups and updates are your responsibility (or your developer’s).
If something breaks after an update, you often need a WordPress/WooCommerce specialist to fix it.
Costs can creep up if unmanaged
Buying too many premium themes/plugins or using poor hosting can increase running costs and slow your site.
WooCommerce is usually best if:
You already have or want a WordPress site.
You care about SEO and content.
You have (or are willing to hire) someone who can manage updates and technical tasks.
Shopify: fast, simple and hosted for you
What is Shopify?
Shopify is a hosted ecommerce platform: you pay a monthly fee and they handle hosting, security and most technical work. It powers millions of online stores and is designed to be beginner‑friendly.
Pros of Shopify for Nigerian SMEs
Very easy to get started
You don’t worry about servers or installing software.
Many themes and apps are built for non‑technical users, so you can focus on products and marketing.
Stable performance and security
Shopify manages hosting, core security, and basic performance for you.
This reduces the risk of downtime caused by plugin conflicts or bad hosting choices.
Strong ecommerce features out of the box
Cart, checkout, inventory, discount codes, basic reporting and many sales tools are already built‑in.
Huge app store for marketing, automation and integrations.
Predictable monthly cost
You pay a subscription (and payment fees), which is easier for budgeting, especially if you don’t want to manage hosting and plugins separately.
Guides note that in recent years, many small businesses and startups worldwide choose Shopify for simplicity and predictable costs, especially if they want to move quickly.
Cons of Shopify for Nigerian SMEs
Less deep control
You have less freedom to customise every part of the system compared to WooCommerce. Some advanced changes require expensive plans or apps.
Monthly fees and app costs
Besides your plan, extra apps add recurring costs. For a small Nigerian SME, this can add up if not monitored.
SEO and content not as flexible as WordPress
Shopify’s SEO is decent, but WordPress + WooCommerce still offers more control and flexibility for content‑driven sites.
Shopify is usually best if:
You want the fastest route to a working store.
You don’t have technical support and don’t want to manage hosting.
You are okay with paying a monthly fee in exchange for convenience.
“Something else”: marketplaces and local ecommerce platforms in Nigeria
Apart from WooCommerce and Shopify, you should know about:
Online marketplaces
Jumia, Konga, Kara and others allow you to list products on their platforms and access existing traffic without building your own store from scratch.
These are great for testing demand or adding an extra sales channel, but:
You don’t own the platform or customer data in the same way.
You depend on their rules, fees and visibility.
Local ecommerce builders and apps
Platforms like Bumpa and others offer very simple store builders and tools targeted at Nigerian small businesses.
They can be excellent for micro businesses starting from social media and wanting a basic store quickly, without full custom development.
These options are not direct replacements for a fully owned website, but they can form part of your ecommerce strategy:
Start with a simple local builder or marketplace to validate your offer.
Move to WooCommerce or Shopify when you’re ready for a more serious, brand‑controlled store.
WooCommerce vs Shopify for Nigerian SMEs: quick comparison
You can include a simple table like this:
| Priority | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Speed & simplicity | Shopify | Hosted, beginner‑friendly, quick to launch. |
| Deep control & customisation | WooCommerce | Runs on WordPress, highly flexible, full ownership. |
| Strong blogging & SEO | WooCommerce | WordPress is still the strongest blogging/SEO CMS. |
| Minimal tech management | Shopify | Shopify handles hosting, security and updates. |
| Lowest long‑term cost (if managed well) | WooCommerce | No fixed platform fee; you choose hosting and plugins. |
How to decide which platform is right for your Nigerian ecommerce store
Ask yourself these questions:
Do I already use or like WordPress?
If yes, WooCommerce is a natural extension.
Do I have (or can I get) a reliable web person?
If no, Shopify is often safer in the short term.
What is my initial budget vs monthly budget?
If you want to control long‑term costs and are willing to invest in a developer, WooCommerce can be better value.
If you want lower startup friction and are okay with ongoing platform fees, Shopify is attractive.
How fast do I need to launch?
Shopify is typically quicker for a simple store.
WooCommerce may take longer but offers more flexibility later.
There is no one “best” platform for everyone; there is only the best match for your current stage and resources.
How I help Lagos and Nigerian SMEs choose and set up the right platform
As a web designer and conversion‑focused consultant for Lagos and Nigerian SMEs, my job is not to force every client onto one platform. Instead, I look at:
Your products and business model.
Your team, skills and support structure.
Your budget and growth goals.
Your existing tools (WordPress site, email list, social presence, etc.).
From there, I recommend whether WooCommerce, Shopify or a hybrid approach (own store + marketplace presence) will serve you best, then help with:
Planning and setting up the store.
Designing a conversion‑focused layout and checkout.
Integrating Nigerian payment options and basic marketing tools.
Providing maintenance and optimisation so the store keeps improving over time.
Next steps
If you’re still not sure whether to choose WooCommerce, Shopify or something else for your Nigerian ecommerce store, you don’t have to guess.
You can:
Request a short Ecommerce Platform Consultation, where we look at your business, products and budget and outline the most suitable options.
Or book a full Ecommerce Website Audit if you already have a store and want to know what’s working, what’s broken, and how to increase your online sales.
Add a simple call‑to‑action button like:
Talk to us about your e-commerce project.
Further reading
