Best Nigeria VPN 2023: Online Freedom in Nigeria With a Virtual Private Network

What Makes the Best Nigeria VPN?

The best VPN for Nigeria should have three essential features or capabilities: top-notch security, fast connection speeds and the ability to bypass geoblocks. Nigerian servers are nice to have because they can help you get a Nigerian IP address and access local websites (like online banking websites) that may be geoblocked outside of Nigeria.

Here are the five best Nigeria VPNs:

1. ExpressVPN — Excellent security and speed
2. NordVPN — Fastest VPN on the market
3. Surfshark — Unlimited simultaneous connections
4. Proton VPN — Free VPN for Nigeria
5. CyberGhost — User-friendly service that’s easy on the wallet

Security and privacy are critical aspects to consider when selecting a VPN. The best VPNs use OpenVPN or WireGuard along with AES or ChaCha20 encryption. They include security features like a kill switch, DNS leak protection and split tunneling. A strict no-logs policy is important to ensure the VPN won’t log any user data.

Encryption improves security, but reduces speed. The best VPNs keep this reduction in speed to a minimum. Good speeds ensure you can stream content without buffering. 

Of course, for that to happen, you first need to gain access to that content. A good VPN service will allow you to bypass geoblocks and internet censorship to access your favorite content on websites like Netflix.

While it’s not wise to select a VPN solely on the basis of it having a Nigerian server, local VPN servers can help in accessing local services, like online banking platforms, more securely. Local servers also allow you to stream content on Nigerian websites that are unavailable outside of Nigeria.

The 5 Best VPNs for Nigeria

We researched and tested the best VPNs on the market to find the five best for Nigeria. We considered the factors discussed in the previous section to narrow down our choice. If you don’t want to bother reading through — we recommend going with ExpressVPN.

1. ExpressVPN

More details about ExpressVPN:

• Pricing: $6.66 per month (15-months plan)
• Free plan: None; 30-day money-back guarantee
• Provider website: expressvpn.com

ExpressVPN is a premium VPN service that offers everything you’d expect in a VPN. That said, while it has servers in over 90 countries, Nigeria isn’t one of them. This means it won’t be able to help you bypass Nigerian geoblocks from outside the country.

When you connect to one of the VPN servers, the app defaults to selecting the best security protocol for your internet connection. You can change the security protocol anytime, though. ExpressVPN includes protocols like OpenVPN and Lightway — ExpressVPN’s proprietary protocol. The app also includes security essentials like a kill switch, DNS leak protection and split tunneling.

Our tests show that ExpressVPN is one of the fastest VPNs out there, meaning you can stream content in 4K without buffering or lag. Learn more about ExpressVPN’s capabilities and features in our comprehensive ExpressVPN review.

Best VPN for Streaming

We rank ExpressVPN as the best VPN for streaming for multiple reasons. In addition to being fast and effective at unblocking streaming sites, it has a feature called MediaStreamer for improved streaming performance. MediaStreamer is a smart DNS tool that lets you access geoblocked sites without connecting to a VPN server. This means your internet traffic will be unencrypted.

An unencrypted connection improves performance, but isn’t great for security. You’ll need to be sure not to use this unsecure connection for sensitive tasks like online banking, especially when connected to public WiFi. Try ExpressVPN yourself to get some first-hand experience — it unblocks all major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer.

ExpressVPN is a premium VPN, and that shows in its pricing. The annual plan (its best value proposition) costs $6.66 per month. The six-month plan costs $9.99 per month, while the monthly plan costs $12.95 per month. You can try ExpressVPN yourself risk-free using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

ExpressVPN Plans

• Unlimited GB
• 5
• Yes

30-days money-back guarantee

1-month plan

$12.95/month

15-months plan

$6.66/month

$99.95 billed first 15 months and 12 months thereafter

Save 48%

2. NordVPN

More details about NordVPN:

• Pricing: $3.49 per month (two-year plan)
• Free plan: None; 30-day money-back guarantee
• Provider website: nordvpn.com

NordVPN is the fastest VPN on the market as per our speed tests. Speed doesn’t come at the cost of security, though. NordVPN is a secure VPN that offers the OpenVPN (UDP and TCP) and NordLynx (NordVPN’s take on WireGuard) protocols. The app also has a kill switch and split tunneling (only available on Windows, Android and Android TV apps).

The VPN provider has built a massive server network, with over 5,000 servers spread across 60 countries. Nigeria isn’t one of these countries, though, so NordVPN can’t help you acquire a Nigerian IP.

However, NordVPN unblocks all major streaming platforms, like Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Hulu. Combine NordVPN’s unblocking capabilities with its fast speeds and you’ve got a service that offers an excellent streaming experience. Learn more about NordVPN’s capabilities in our NordVPN review.

Specialty Servers

NordVPN offers four types of specialty servers to bolster security even further: P2P, Onion Over VPN, obfuscated and double VPN servers. NordVPN secures your connection well even when not using one of these servers — these servers just offer a better experience in specific situations.

For example, you can use P2P servers for additional security when torrenting. Double VPN helps route your internet traffic via two servers instead of one to strengthen security when browsing the web. Obfuscated servers help conceal VPN usage in heavily restrictive environments, such as China. Onion over VPN helps access the Tor network without the Tor browser.

NordVPN’s two-year plan (its best value) costs $3.49 per month. Shorter term plans are also available — the annual plan costs $4.99 per month, while the monthly plan costs $12.99 per month. Like ExpressVPN, NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try the service yourself without any risk.

Standard

• Unlimited GB
• 6
• Yes

30-days money-back guarantee

1-month plan

$12.99/month

2-year plan

$3.49/month

$83.76 billed every 2 years

Save 73%

3. Surfshark

More details about Surfshark:

• Pricing: $2.49 per month (two-year plan)
• Free plan: None; 30-day money-back guarantee
• Provider website: surfshark.com

Surfshark is a relatively new VPN service, but has managed to create a remarkable feature set and deliver excellent performance. The VPN provider has a server network consisting of over 3,200 RAM-only servers spread across 100 countries — that’s more countries than any other VPN on this. Surfshark has virtual servers in Nigeria, so it can help you acquire a Nigerian IP address.

The VPN offers fast connection speeds and unblocks most streaming services. That’s a great combination if you like to stream content from geoblocked websites. In addition to great speed, Surfshark offers an extensive feature set.

For example, Surfshark is equipped with CleanWeb 2.0, a powerful malware and ad blocker that blocks ads on every app, not just your browser. The VPN app comes with an IP rotation feature that automatically changes your IP address every few minutes without changing your virtual location. Learn more about Surfshark’s features in our Surfshark review.

Unlimited Simultaneous Connections

Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections, which means you can share your Surfshark account with as many friends or family members as you’d like. Since Surfshark offers unlimited bandwidth, sharing your account will have no negative impact on performance. Sharing your Surfshark account can help reduce the cost of a service that’s already pocket-friendly.

Surfshark is a low-cost service; the two-year plan (its best value) costs just $2.49 per month. Shorter term plans are available as well — the annual plan costs $3.99 per month, while the monthly plan costs $12.95 per month. Like other services on this list, Surfshark also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which allows you to try the service at no risk.

Surfshark Plans

• Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices
• Unlimited GB
• Unlimited
• Yes

30-days money-back guarantee

1-month plan

$12.95/month

2-year plan

$2.49/month

$59.76 billed every 2 years

Save 80%

ReviewVisit Surfshark 30-days money-back guarantee

4. Proton VPN

More details about Proton VPN:

• Pricing: $4.99 per month (two-year plan)
• Free plan: Yes; 3 server locations
• Provider website: protonvpn.com

Proton VPN is one of the best free VPNs on the market. We generally refrain from recommending free VPNs. Most free VPNs are slow and unreliable, and many are unsafe — be especially careful with services on our list of the worst VPNs. The handful of free services that are trustworthy are premium services that offer a free plan as a preview, like Proton VPN.

If you’re looking for a fast and secure VPN service for Nigeria, Proton VPN is your best bet. It has a strict no-logs policy, so you can rest assured Proton VPN won’t log any of your data. It uses security protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard and ciphers like AES-256 and ChaCha20.

You get access to servers in three countries on the free plan. If you want access to more servers, you can upgrade to a paid plan. Doing so will get you access to Proton VPN’s Nigerian servers, which means you can use the service to acquire a Nigerian IP address. We discuss more about Proton VPN’s capabilities in our Proton VPN review.

Unlimited Data

Proton VPN is one of the few VPNs to offer unlimited data on a free plan. Most VPNs attempt to encourage users to switch to a paid plan by limiting the data. However, Proton VPN chooses to limit access to servers instead. Unless you upgrade to a paid plan, you can only connect to servers in the U.S., the Netherlands and Japan.

If you like streaming content, Proton VPN is an excellent free choice because it offers unlimited data, is fast and unblocks most popular streaming services. You can access blocked online content without ever worrying about running out of data.

Proton VPN offers paid plans, with the best deal (the two-year plan) costing $4.99 per month. The annual plan costs $5.99 per month, while the monthly plan costs $9.99 per month. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can request a full refund if you’re not completely satisfied.

30-days money-back guarantee

Free

• Unlimited GB
• 1
• Yes

FREE

Plus

• Unlimited GB
• 5
• Yes

2-year plan

$4.99/month

$119.75 billed every 2 years

Save 50%

ReviewVisit ProtonVPN 30-days money-back guarantee

5. CyberGhost

More details about CyberGhost:

• Pricing: $2.37 per month (two-year plan)
• Free plan: None; 45-day money-back guarantee
• Provider website: cyberghost.com

CyberGhost is the cheapest service on this list (excluding Proton’s free plan). That’s not to say it lacks the qualities of a great VPN service. In fact, CyberGhost has the largest server network of any service on the list, with over 9,000 servers across 91 countries. Out of these, 13 servers are located in Nigeria, so you can use CyberGhost to acquire a Nigerian IP.

The app lets you choose between OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2 (available on Windows, macOS and iOS). You also get security features like a kill switch and split tunneling. Windows and macOS offer URL-based split tunneling, while the Android app offers app-based split tunneling. We talk more about CyberGhost’s features in our CyberGhost review.

CyberGhost gets into streaming platforms, like HBO Max and Hulu. However, we had to switch between a few servers to get into BBC iPlayer during our tests, and we failed to get into Disney Plus. CyberGhost is also slower than other services on this list, but it’s fast enough for standard-quality streaming.

Automation Features

The CyberGhost VPN app has a feature called “smart rules” that helps automate routine VPN tasks. Those few extra clicks you spend time on everyday can be eliminated by setting up “smart rules,” which operate on a trigger-based system.

For example, you can create a rule where CyberGhost automatically connects to a server in a specific location whenever you launch your browser.

CyberGhost is a low-cost service, with the best value plan (the two-year plan) costing $2.37 per month. The six-month plan costs $6.99 per month, while the monthly plan costs $12.99 per month. CyberGhost offers a longer, 45-day money-back guarantee on all plans but the monthly plan, so you can try the service risk-free.

CyberGhost Plans

• Unlimited GB
• 7
• Yes

45-days money-back guarantee

1-month plan

$12.99/month

2-year plan

$2.37/month

$56.94 billed every 2 years

Save 81%

ReviewVisit Cyberghost 45-days money-back guarantee

Why Should You Use a Nigerian VPN?

The most important reason to use a VPN in Nigeria is the government’s consistent efforts to curb online freedom.

The Nigerian government started imposing mobile network restrictions in 2014 to control Boko Haram, a deadly terror group. Beyond this, the government took multiple steps that limited Nigerian citizens’ online freedom. In the past, the government has arrested journalists, bloggers and political activists after tracing their online activity.

The government has banned Twitter in the past after Twitter removed President Buhari’s tweet. The government has also tried to regulate the use of social media with the social media bill, though it hasn’t materialized yet.

In addition to protecting yourself when online, you also need a Nigerian VPN to access geoblocked content on websites like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. It’ll also help if Twitter or any other services are banned in the future.

Are VPNs Legal in Nigeria?

Yes, using VPNs is legal in Nigeria. No prevailing laws prohibit or restrict the use of VPNs. However, illegal activities like distributing copyrighted content are still illegal, even when using a VPN.

Can You Use a Free VPN for Nigeria

Yes, you can use a free VPN in Nigeria. Most free VPNs are unreliable and slow. Some can even infect your device with malware. However, a few exceptions exist — Proton VPN is one of them. Windscribe and TunnelBear are two others.

Proton VPN offers Nigerian servers on its paid plan. Moreover, you can connect to a server in the U.S., Netherlands or Japan to encrypt your connection or access geoblocked content when using the free plan. With Proton VPN’s free plan, you get unlimited data and the ability to bypass geoblocks on some of the most popular streaming platforms.

Final Thoughts

Using a VPN in Nigeria can ensure online privacy and protection against the government’s invasive policies. Encrypting your connection with a VPN provides protection against hackers trying to steal your information, too. A VPN is also a great tool to access geoblocked content on websites like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Have you tried using a VPN to unblock websites in Nigeria? Which service did you use, and were you able to unblock the websites? Let us know in the comments section below, and as always, thank you for reading.

FAQ: Get a Nigerian VPN

• How Can I Get a Nigeria VPN?

  You can get a Nigeria VPN by signing up for a VPN service and installing its app on your device. For example, you can go to ExpressVPN’s website, sign up for an account, select a plan and install ExpressVPN on your device.

• Which VPN Has Nigerian Server Locations?

  Proton VPN, Surfshark and CyberGhost have Nigerian server locations. Note that Proton VPN’s free plan doesn’t offer access to the Nigerian servers; you’ll need to upgrade to the paid version to connect to a Nigerian server.

• Which VPN Is Free to Connect Nigeria?

  TunnelBear offers a free Nigerian server. It’s a secure VPN, but can be a little slow. If you want a free VPN that’s secure and fast, and you don’t need a free Nigerian server, consider using Proton VPN.

The post Best Nigeria VPN 2023: Online Freedom in Nigeria With a Virtual Private Network appeared first on Cloudwards.