Prepare functioning authoritative DNS before submitting a Nigerian domain's nameservers. Supplying two plausible hostnames does not create a zone, and buying hosting does not prove that the correct servers have been delegated at the registry.
IN THIS ARTICLE
01 Prepare the zone and server details
- Choose the DNS service you will use and obtain the exact assigned nameservers from its account or setup confirmation.
- Create or have the provider create the zone for the exact registered domain.
- Add the intended website, email and verification records. Check the apex SOA and NS records managed by the DNS service.
- Query each assigned authoritative server directly for the zone and important records.
- If nameservers are within the domain itself, arrange the required registered host or glue details through the registrar's supported process.
Do not infer nameservers from a company brand or an example article. Shared hosting, managed DNS and private nameservers can use different assignments. For a government-domain application, NITDA's published process explicitly asks for at least two nameservers; the administrative approval requirements remain separate.
02 Submit and verify the delegation
Send nameserver changes through the provider that manages the registration. NiRA's registrant guidance directs these changes through the registrar rather than treating the registry as the ordinary customer DNS editor.
After the change is accepted, trace the delegation from the parent zone and compare it with your intended list. Then query the delegated servers for SOA, website and mail data. A correct record in an undelegated DNS account has no effect on normal public resolution.
Why is the domain approved but still not resolving?
Approval, registration activation and DNS service are separate stages. Check whether the domain has been activated, whether the parent delegates it, whether each target server is authoritative and whether DNSSEC validates where enabled. Preserve the exact error and query time for support.
If the intended server does not answer for the zone, have the DNS provider correct the zone or server mapping before repeatedly changing nameservers. For an existing live domain, keep the previous service available during the planned cache overlap and verify email as well as the website after the move.