Cloudflare is one of the most popular ways to manage a domain's DNS, speed up a website, and add a layer of security — all on a free plan. To use it, you point your .ng domain at Cloudflare's nameservers so it handles your DNS. This guide walks you through the whole process, from creating a Cloudflare account to confirming the switch is live.

What Are Nameservers?

A nameserver is the server that answers the question "where does this domain's website and email live?" Every domain points to a set of nameservers, and whoever controls those nameservers controls the domain's DNS records (like the A, CNAME, and MX records that route your traffic and mail).

By default, your .ng domain uses your registrar's nameservers. When you switch to Cloudflare, you're telling the internet to ask Cloudflare for your DNS answers instead. That's what unlocks Cloudflare's CDN, caching, SSL, and security features.

Before you start: Have access to two things — your NG Domain account (to change nameservers) and a Cloudflare account (free to create). If your site is live, note your current DNS records first so nothing breaks during the move.

Step 1: Create a Cloudflare Account

1. Go to cloudflare.com and sign up for a free account.
2. Verify your email address.
3. Log in to your Cloudflare dashboard.

Step 2: Add Your Domain to Cloudflare

1. On the dashboard, click Add a site (or Add domain).
2. Type your full domain, e.g. yourbusiness.com.ng, and continue.
3. Choose the Free plan when prompted — it's enough for most websites.

Step 3: Review the Imported DNS Records

Cloudflare will automatically scan and import your existing DNS records.

• Check the list carefully against your current setup.
• Make sure your website record (A or CNAME) and any email records (MX, TXT for SPF/DKIM) are present.
• Add anything that's missing before you continue — this prevents downtime or lost email.

This step matters most if your site or email is already live. Getting the records right here means the switch will be seamless.

Step 4: Copy Your Cloudflare Nameservers

After the scan, Cloudflare shows you two nameservers assigned to your account. They look something like:

ada.ns.cloudflare.com
rob.ns.cloudflare.com

Your exact names will be different — copy the ones Cloudflare gives you. You'll paste these into NG Domain next.

Step 5: Update Nameservers at NG Domain

1. Log in to your NG Domain account.
2. Open the domain you're setting up and find the Nameservers (or DNS / Manage) section.
3. Choose the option to use custom nameservers.
4. Remove the existing nameservers and enter the two Cloudflare nameservers exactly as shown.
5. Save your changes.

That's the key switch. From here, the internet gradually learns to route your domain through Cloudflare.

Step 6: Wait for Propagation

Nameserver changes don't take effect instantly. DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24–48 hours, though it's usually much faster.

• Cloudflare will email you when it detects the change and your domain is active.
• You can also refresh the domain's overview page in Cloudflare to check the status.

Step 7: Confirm and Configure

Once Cloudflare reports your domain as active, you're live. A few recommended next steps:

• Enable SSL/TLS. Set the encryption mode to Full or Full (strict) so traffic is encrypted end-to-end.
• Turn on Always Use HTTPS. This redirects visitors to the secure version of your site.
• Review the proxy status. The orange cloud icon means a record is proxied through Cloudflare (CDN + protection); grey means DNS-only.

Troubleshooting

• Site went down after switching? Double-check that your A/CNAME records in Cloudflare match your host's real values.
• Email stopped working? Make sure your MX and related TXT records were imported, and that mail records are set to DNS-only (grey cloud), not proxied.
• Change not detected? Confirm you entered both Cloudflare nameservers at NG Domain and removed the old ones. Give propagation more time.

Why Bother With Cloudflare?

Once set up, your .ng domain gains a global CDN that speeds up your site, free SSL certificates, DDoS protection, and a clean interface for managing every DNS record — all at no cost on the free plan. It's one of the highest-impact upgrades you can make to a website in under an hour.

Don't have your .ng domain yet? Search and register it on NG Domain first, then follow this guide to connect it to Cloudflare.