SSL Certificates in Nigeria: How They Work and How to Fix "Not Secure" (2027)
Short answer: An SSL certificate encrypts the connection between your visitors and your site and shows the padlock. If your browser shows "not secure", your site has no valid certificate or it has expired. Every Ruachost hosting plan includes a free SSL certificate. Paid options exist for businesses that want a purchased certificate or wildcard coverage: RapidSSL at €21.00 per year and RapidSSL Wildcard at €133.80 per year.
How SSL works
- Your server holds a certificate and a private key.
- A browser connects and checks the certificate against a trusted authority.
- They agree on encryption keys.
- Data between visitor and site is encrypted, and the padlock appears.
Fix the "not secure" warning
- Check whether your host offers free SSL (Ruachost does on every hosting plan).
- Install or activate the certificate for your domain.
- Force HTTPS by redirecting http:// to https://.
- Fix mixed content: images or scripts still loading over http.
- Renew before expiry.
Free vs paid SSL
| Free SSL | RapidSSL | RapidSSL Wildcard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Included with hosting | €21.00 per year | €133.80 per year |
| Covers | Your domain on your Ruachost hosting plan | A single domain | A domain and all its subdomains |
| Best for | Blogs, brochure sites and most small shops | Businesses that want a purchased certificate | Sites with many subdomains |
Buy at ruachost.com/ssl.
Do I need a paid SSL if my hosting includes free SSL?
Most small sites do not. Choose paid when you need wildcard coverage, a purchased certificate from a specific certificate authority, or a certificate for a service outside your hosting plan.
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