Short answer: to create a business email address, you need a domain (for example yourbusiness.com.ng) and an email plan. At SiloLobby choose a business email plan (from ₦700/month per mailbox, or free for domains registered with us), connect your domain, create mailboxes like hello@yourbusiness.com.ng, and sign in on the web, in Outlook, or on your phone.
A professional email address is one of the cheapest ways to look established. This guide takes you from choosing a plan to reading your first message on your phone, including the DNS records that keep your mail out of spam and the habits that keep your team's email secure.
Why your business needs its own email address
- Trust. Customers, banks and corporate buyers take ada@adafoods.com.ng more seriously than adafoods2024@gmail.com, and scammers often use free addresses.
- Control. When a staff member leaves, the mailbox stays with the company: you can reset the password, keep the history and forward new mail.
- Brand. Every email you send advertises your website.
- Protection. With SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up, inboxes can tell your real emails from fakes using your name.
Read the full comparison in business email vs Gmail.
What you need
- A domain. If you do not have one, register it in minutes; see how to register a .com.ng domain.
- An email plan. Business email is priced per mailbox, so you only pay for the people who need one.
Choosing a plan
| Plan | Storage per mailbox | Highlights | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mail Free | 1 GB | Webmail, calendar, contacts; up to 3 mailboxes | Free for domains registered with SiloLobby |
| Mail Lite | 5 GB | IMAP/POP for Outlook, Gmail app, Apple Mail; aliases; two-factor login | ₦700/month per mailbox |
| Mail Pro | 25 GB | Push sync to phones and Outlook (ActiveSync); shared calendars | ₦1,500/month per mailbox |
| Mail Premium | 50 GB | Push sync; the most space; priority support | ₦3,000/month per mailbox |
Every plan includes spam and virus filtering. Mixed teams can choose the plan that suits their email use.
Which should you choose?
- Just starting, domain with SiloLobby: Mail Free.
- Most small teams: Mail Lite.
- People who live in their inbox on phone and laptop: Mail Pro, for instant push sync.
- Heavy email users with large attachments: Mail Premium.
Choose a business email plan →
Step 1: order your plan
Choose your plan and the number of mailboxes. You can add more mailboxes later.
Step 2: connect your domain
Email needs DNS records so the internet knows where to deliver your mail and that it can trust your messages:
| Record | What it does |
|---|---|
| MX | Tells senders which server receives your email |
| SPF (TXT) | Lists the servers allowed to send email for your domain |
| DKIM | Adds a signature proving emails really came from you |
| DMARC (TXT) | Tells inboxes what to do with fakes |
If your domain is registered with SiloLobby, these records are set up for you. If it is elsewhere, your client area shows exactly which records to add at your DNS provider. Learn more in SPF, DKIM and DMARC explained.
Step 3: create mailboxes
In your client area open Email → Manage → Mailboxes, then:
- Choose the address, such as ada@yourbusiness.com.ng.
- Set a strong password (or let the system generate one).
- Share the login with the person securely.
Naming tips:
- Use a consistent format for people: firstname@ or firstname.lastname@.
- Use role addresses for functions: sales@, support@, accounts@.
Step 4: add aliases and forwarders
Aliases are extra addresses that deliver into an existing mailbox, at no extra cost. For example, info@ and hello@ can both deliver to the owner's mailbox, and jobs@ to HR. Forwarders send copies to another address.
Step 5: sign in and connect your apps
- Webmail: sign in from any browser, with calendar and contacts included.
- Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird: add the account using IMAP for incoming mail and SMTP for sending. The exact server names and ports are shown in your client area.
- Gmail app on Android or iPhone: choose "Add another account" → "Other", and enter the same IMAP and SMTP settings.
- Instant push to phones and Outlook: Mail Pro and Premium support ActiveSync, so new mail appears immediately without waiting for the app to check.
Step 6: test
Send an email from your new address to a Gmail account, then reply to it. In Gmail, open the message, choose Show original and check for SPF: PASS, DKIM: PASS and DMARC: PASS.
Moving from Gmail or another provider
- Create the same addresses on SiloLobby.
- Copy old messages: add both the old and new accounts to an email app with IMAP and drag folders across, or ask our support team.
- Switch the MX records to SiloLobby.
- Keep the old account for a few weeks in case of stragglers.
Keeping email secure
- Turn on two-factor login for mailboxes.
- Use unique, strong passwords; never share one password across a team.
- Remove or reassign mailboxes when staff leave.
- Train your team to spot phishing: unexpected payment requests, urgent password resets and lookalike domains.
Troubleshooting common email problems
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Not receiving any email | MX records missing or pointing elsewhere | Check MX records in your DNS |
| Emails going to recipients' spam | SPF, DKIM or DMARC missing | Add the records shown in your client area |
| Phone app keeps asking for the password | Wrong server settings or password | Re-enter the settings from your client area |
| Mailbox full | Storage limit reached | Delete old mail or upgrade the plan |
| Cannot send from the Gmail app | SMTP settings missing | Add the outgoing (SMTP) server details |
Setting up email on your phone
Android (Gmail app): open Settings, choose Add account, then Other. Enter your full email address, choose Personal (IMAP), enter your password, then the incoming and outgoing server details from your client area.
iPhone (Mail app): open Settings → Mail → Accounts → Add Account → Other → Add Mail Account. Enter your name, email and password, choose IMAP, and enter the server details.
Push email on Mail Pro or Premium: add the account as an Exchange account on iPhone, or use an app that supports ActiveSync on Android, to get new mail, calendars and contacts instantly.
How many mailboxes do you need?
Give a mailbox to each person who sends and receives email in their own name. For shared functions (sales, support, accounts), use aliases that deliver into the right person's mailbox. This keeps costs down and makes it easy to reassign roles when staff change.
Summary
Getting a business email address takes minutes: pick a plan (free with a SiloLobby domain, or from ₦700/month per mailbox), connect your domain's DNS records, create mailboxes and aliases, and connect your apps. It builds trust with every message you send and keeps your company in control of its communication.