How to Move Your WordPress Site to a New Host in Rwanda

Moving a WordPress website to a new hosting provider can feel stressful, particularly if you’re worried about losing data, breaking the site or going offline. The good news is that moving to a better host in Rwanda is simpler than most people expect.

Whether you’re switching because of slow speeds, poor support, frequent downtime or to upgrade to faster NVMe hosting, this guide shows you how to migrate your WordPress website safely and with as little disruption as possible.

You’ll learn how to move your WordPress site step by step, even as a beginner. And if you’d rather not do it yourself, Hostnali moves websites to its hosting for free.

Quick Answer / TL;DR

Back up your WordPress website before you start.
Choose a reliable host with good WordPress support.
Transfer your website files and database.
Update your domain’s DNS settings.
Test the site before switching over completely.
Hostnali WordPress hosting offers fast hosting and free migration for websites across Rwanda.

Why Move Your WordPress Site to a New Host?

Rwandan website owners usually move because of:

Slow website speeds
Poor uptime
Weak customer support
Expensive renewals
Security problems
Limited resources
No WordPress optimisation

Modern hosting with NVMe storage and better infrastructure can noticeably improve website performance.

What You Need Before Migrating

Before you begin, prepare the following:

1. A Website Backup

Always make a complete backup of:

Website files
The database
Emails (if you need them)

This protects you if anything goes wrong. Our guide on how to back up your WordPress website explains the options.

2. A New Hosting Account

Buy hosting from the provider you’ve chosen.

A good host should include:

WordPress support
cPanel access
Free SSL
Daily backups
Fast storage
Reliable uptime

Hostnali hosting plans include all of these, with LiteSpeed servers and a 99.99% uptime guarantee.

3. Domain Access

You need access to:

Your domain registrar account
DNS settings
Nameservers

You’ll need these to point your domain to the new host. See what are nameservers? if the term is new to you.

Step-by-Step WordPress Migration Guide

Step 1: Back Up Your Website

The safest way to migrate WordPress is to start with a full backup.

You can back up your site with:

A WordPress plugin
cPanel backups
A manual file download

Popular backup plugins:

UpdraftPlus
All-in-One WP Migration
Duplicator

Your backup should include:

The wp-content folder
Themes
Plugins
Media files
The database

Step 2: Download Your Website Files

You can download your files through:

File Manager in cPanel
FTP software such as FileZilla

Important folders and files:

public_html
wp-content
wp-config.php

Compress the files into a ZIP archive to make uploading easier.

Step 3: Export Your WordPress Database

WordPress stores its content in a MySQL database.

To export it:

Open phpMyAdmin
Select your database
Click “Export”
Choose Quick
Download the SQL file

This file contains:

Posts
Pages
Settings
User accounts
Comments

Step 4: Upload Files to Your New Host

Open File Manager
Go to public_html
Upload your website ZIP file
Extract the files

You can also upload with FTP.

Step 5: Create a New Database

In cPanel:

Open the MySQL Database Wizard
Create a database
Create a database user
Give the user all privileges

Note down:

The database name
The username
The password

You’ll need them later.

Step 6: Import Your Database

Open phpMyAdmin in the new hosting account:

Select your new database
Click Import
Upload the SQL file
Start the import

This restores your WordPress content.

Step 7: Update wp-config.php

Edit wp-config.php and update:

define('DB_NAME', 'new_database_name');
define('DB_USER', 'new_database_user');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'new_password');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

This connects WordPress to the new database.

Step 8: Update Your Domain DNS

Point your domain to the new host using:

Nameservers, or
A records

DNS changes can take from a few minutes to 48 hours to spread fully. Our guide on DNS propagation explains why.

During this time:

Some visitors may see the old website
Others may see the new one

This is normal.

Step 9: Test Your Website

Before switching over completely:

Test every page
Check forms
Check images
Test menus
Confirm SSL works
Test email

Also check:

The mobile layout
Website speed
The WordPress login

How to Migrate WordPress With a Plugin

Beginners often prefer migration plugins because they simplify the work.

Popular migration plugins include:

All-in-One WP Migration
Duplicator
UpdraftPlus

These tools automate:

File transfer
Database migration
Restoring the site

This is usually the easiest method for small websites.

How to Migrate WordPress With No Downtime

Downtime is when visitors cannot reach your website during the move.

To keep it to a minimum:

Keep the Old Hosting Active

Don’t cancel the old hosting immediately.

Keep it running for several days after the move.

Test Before Changing DNS

Use a temporary URL or your computer’s hosts file to preview the new site before you update DNS.

Migrate at Quiet Times

Good times:

Late at night
Early morning
Weekends (depending on your audience)

Common Migration Problems

Broken Images

This usually happens because:

Files were not uploaded correctly
URLs were changed incorrectly

Database Connection Errors

Usually caused by a wrong:

Database name
Password
Database user

SSL Errors

Reissue the SSL certificate after the move if needed. On Hostnali, free SSL is issued automatically once the domain points to your hosting.

Slow Website After Migration

Check:

Caching (switch on LiteSpeed Cache)
PHP version
Hosting resources
Plugin conflicts

Why Better Hosting Matters After Migration

Moving to faster hosting can improve:

SEO Rankings

Search engines favour fast websites.

User Experience

Visitors prefer pages that load quickly, especially on mobile data.

Online Shop Sales

Slow websites lose sales and increase cart abandonment.

Website Security

Modern hosting improves:

Malware protection
Backups
Firewall security

Why Hostnali Is a Good Option for WordPress Hosting

Hostnali serves businesses and WordPress users across Rwanda.

Features include:

NVMe SSD hosting on LiteSpeed
Free SSL certificates
cPanel with Softaculous
WordPress staging and auto updates
Free website migration
24/7 support by live chat and ticket
Payment by card, bank transfer or mobile money

That makes it a good fit for:

Blogs
Business websites
Online shops
Agencies
School websites

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I migrate my WordPress site myself?

Yes. Many beginners move WordPress successfully with plugins or cPanel tools. Or ask Hostnali to do it for free; see how to move your website to Hostnali.

Will my website go offline during migration?

Not necessarily. Careful DNS handling keeps downtime to a minimum or avoids it entirely.

How long does WordPress migration take?

A small website can take less than an hour. Larger sites take longer, depending on their size and DNS propagation.

Do I lose SEO when I change hosting?

Normally no, as long as:

URLs stay the same
The site structure stays the same
Downtime is minimal

Should I use a migration plugin?

Yes, especially if you’re a beginner.

What is the best hosting for WordPress in Rwanda?

Look for speed, reliable uptime, backups and good support. Hostnali WordPress hosting offers all four, from RWF 30,520 a year.

Final Thoughts

Moving your WordPress website to a new host in Rwanda doesn’t have to be complicated. With good backups, careful DNS changes and reliable hosting, you can move your site safely with little or no downtime.

If your current hosting is slow, unreliable or holding your website back, faster infrastructure can make a real difference to performance and user experience.

Looking for reliable WordPress hosting in Rwanda?

Explore Hostnali WordPress hosting plans and enjoy fast, secure, beginner-friendly hosting for your website.