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If you’ve ever posted “looking for a web developer” in a Lagos business WhatsApp group, you know the flood of DMs that follows everyone claims to be the best, everyone quotes a different price, and almost nobody shows proof of actual results. Choosing the wrong developer doesn’t just waste money; it can cost you months of invisibility on Google while your competitors quietly take the customers who were searching for you.
The problem isn’t that good developers don’t exist in Lagos; they absolutely do. The problem is that the market has no real filter: anyone with a WordPress course certificate and a Canva portfolio can call themselves a web developer, and unless you know exactly what to check, there’s no easy way to tell them apart from someone who’s actually built and shipped working sites for real businesses.
This guide walks through exactly what to check before you pay a deposit to anyone plus the questions to ask, the contracts to insist on, and the red flags that should end the conversation immediately.
Where to Actually Look
Before getting into how to vet a developer, it’s worth being honest about where you’re looking. Facebook and WhatsApp business groups are flooded with underpriced, unverified offers precisely because there’s no accountability layer anyone can post “I build websites, DM me” with zero proof behind it. Better starting points tend to be:
- Referrals from other business owners who can show you the actual live result, not just recommend a name
- LinkedIn, where a developer’s work history and client interactions are at least somewhat visible
- Agencies with a real portfolio and a registered business, where there’s a company (not just an individual) accountable if something goes wrong
None of this guarantees quality on its own which is exactly why the checks below matter regardless of where you found the person.
1. Ask to See Live Websites They’ve Actually Built
Not screenshots. Not a PDF portfolio. Live, working links you can open on your own phone right now. Click through the site: does it load fast? Does it work properly on mobile? Do the contact forms actually submit? A developer who can’t produce three working live sites in their portfolio is not someone you want holding your business’s first impression.
While you’re on those live sites, check a few specific things beyond “does it look nice”: Is the text readable without zooming in? Do images load properly, or are some broken? Does clicking through the main navigation actually take you where it says it will? These sound basic, but a surprising number of “portfolio” sites have small breakages the developer either hasn’t noticed or hopes you won’t.
It’s also worth asking how long ago each site was built. A portfolio full of five-year-old projects with an outdated design style tells you the developer may not be keeping up with current standards mobile-first design, current SEO practices, and modern site speed expectations all shift over time.
2. Check If SEO Is Included, or an Afterthought
A huge number of “web developers” in Lagos build a site, hand it over, and disappear — leaving the business owner to wonder why nobody can find them on Google six months later. Before hiring, ask directly:
- Will you set up an XML sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console?
- Will you optimize page titles and meta descriptions, or is that extra?
- Will you help set up or fix my Google Business Profile?
If the answer is vague or “that’s not really what we do,” that’s a website that will look fine and rank nowhere.
This matters more than most first-time website owners realize. A website with zero SEO setup is essentially invisible; it exists, but Google has no clear signal about what it’s for or who it should show it to. That’s the difference between a business that shows up when someone searches “solar installer Lekki” and one that never appears at all, no matter how good the site looks once someone finally finds it.
3. Confirm You’ll Own Your Own Domain and Hosting
This is the mistake that causes the most damage later. Some developers register your domain and hosting under their own accounts which means if the relationship goes sour, or they simply stop responding, you can lose access to your own website entirely. Always insist on:
- Your own registrar login (where the domain is bought)
- Your own hosting account login
- Admin access to your own website backend
If a developer resists giving you this, treat it as a red flag, not a negotiation point.
This isn’t a hypothetical risk, it happens regularly. A business owner pays for a website, the developer registers everything under their own email and card “for convenience,” and months later the business wants a change, a migration, or simply to switch developers, only to discover they have no login, no access, and no leverage. Get this in writing before work begins, not after the site is live.
4. Get the Scope and Payment Terms in Writing
Verbal agreements over WhatsApp are where most Lagos website disputes start. Before any money changes hands, insist on a simple written agreement. it doesn’t need to be a 20-page legal document covering:
- Exactly what’s included (number of pages, whether SEO setup is part of it, whether e-commerce is included)
- The payment structure (a common and fair structure is roughly 60% upfront, 40% on delivery)
- A rough timeline with milestones, not just a final delivery date
- What counts as a “revision” versus a new feature that costs extra
This protects both sides — a legitimate developer won’t hesitate to put terms in writing, and a written scope prevents the classic “well I assumed that was included” argument that derails so many projects halfway through.
5. Understand What You’re Actually Paying For
Prices for website design and development services in Lagos vary wildly, and that’s not always a scam. A five-page brochure site and a custom booking platform are genuinely different amounts of work. What matters is that the quote is broken down clearly: design, development, SEO setup, and what happens after launch. If you want a full sense of realistic pricing tiers before you start collecting quotes, our breakdown on how much a website actually costs in Nigeria is a good place to start.
6. Ask What Happens After Launch
A website is not a one-time purchase. Ask specifically:
- Is there a maintenance period included, and how long?
- What’s the process if something breaks like a broken form, a hacked site, a plugin conflict?
- Is ongoing SEO or content support available, or is that a separate conversation?
Developers who’ve never been asked this before will often hesitate. Developers who work this way every day will have a clear, immediate answer.
7. Look for Communication Style, Not Just Skill
Technical skill matters, but so does how a developer communicates during the project. Do they explain things in plain terms, or bury you in jargon to sound impressive? Do they respond within a reasonable time, or go quiet for days? A brilliant developer who’s impossible to reach mid-project will cost you more stress than a slightly less flashy one who actually answers your messages.
Red Flags to Walk Away From
- No live portfolio, only mockups or “coming soon” links
- Prices dramatically below market rate with no explanation
- Reluctance to give you domain/hosting ownership
- No mention of SEO, mobile optimization, or post-launch support at all
- Payment demanded 100% upfront before any work begins
Getting It Right the First Time
Choosing the right developer up front is almost always cheaper than fixing a bad build later — we’ve rebuilt more than one Lagos business site that was quietly losing customers to broken forms and invisible SEO, like our recent work with Almond Technologies. If you’re comparing quotes and want a second opinion on whether a proposal actually covers what it should, reach out to our team — we’re happy to walk through it with you, no pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if a Lagos web developer is legitimate? Ask for live portfolio links you can test yourself, confirm they’ll give you ownership of your domain and hosting, and get a clear written breakdown of what’s included in the price.
Should I hire a freelancer or an agency? Freelancers are often cheaper for simple sites but carry more risk if they become unresponsive. Agencies typically cost more but offer more accountability, ongoing support, and a team to fall back on if one person is unavailable.
What’s a reasonable turnaround time for a small business website? A standard 4–6 page website should take 2–3 weeks from content collection to launch. Anything promising a full site in 24–48 hours is usually cutting corners on SEO and testing.
Do I need to know anything technical to work with a developer? No. A good developer should be able to explain the process in plain language and won’t expect you to understand code, hosting, or SEO terminology yourself.
What should I ask on a first call with a developer, before requesting a quote? Ask them to walk you through a recent project from start to finish what the client needed, what they built, and what results followed. How they explain this tells you a lot: a developer who can clearly narrate a real project is very different from one who gives vague, generic answers.
Is it a bad sign if a developer asks a lot of questions before quoting a price? No, it’s usually the opposite. A developer who asks about your business, your customers, and your goals before quoting is scoping the work properly. Be more cautious of anyone who gives you a firm price within minutes of hearing “I need a website,” since that price likely isn’t based on your actual requirements.
