What Was EAC Directory? A Complete Retrospective
EAC Directory was a Kenyan-based domain registrar and web hosting company that launched in 2005. The company earned a reputation as one of East Africa’s earliest digital infrastructure providers.
They primarily catered to SMEs, bloggers, and local entrepreneurs. Some of their essential offerings included tools such as .co.ke domain registration, cPanel-based SSD hosting, email accounts, SSL certificates, and a unique business directory service designed to improve local SEO visibility.
Operating under the domain eacdirectory.co.ke, the platform served over 10,000 businesses across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, with a particular emphasis on reliable customer support and affordability for small enterprises.
Core Services and Impact on Kenyan Web Hosting
EAC Directory distinguished itself in Kenya’s competitive hosting landscape through a regionally localized product suite focused on affordability, simplicity, and reliability. The core services included:
- Domain Registration: Primarily .co.ke domains, targeting Kenyan business owners and personal brands.
- SSD Shared Hosting: Delivered via a cPanel control panel, the platform offered storage with low latency and stable uptime for typical SME websites.
- Email & SSL Services: Free email accounts and Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates bundled with every hosting plan.
- Business Directory Listings: They offered clients visibility in a searchable, categorized online directory, improving local discoverability.
By supporting local currency billing (KES) and mobile money payments like M-Pesa, EAC Directory enabled digital adoption among businesses previously underserved by global platforms.
This region-specific UX made it a trusted brand among first-time domain buyers and non-technical entrepreneurs.
Timeline of Acquisition by HOSTAFRICA
On December 1, 2022, HOSTAFRICA, a South African cloud and hosting provider, officially acquired EAC Directory.
The move was part of HOSTAFRICA’s broader East African market expansion strategy, which also included acquiring other regional players such as Web4Africa. EAC Directory was subsequently rebranded to HOSTAFRICA EAC Ltd, with operational transition finalized by mid-2023.
The integration included:
- Migration of hosting infrastructure to Tier 3 data centers in South Africa
- Upgraded backend architecture and security layers
- Continued use of the eacdirectory.co.ke domain to ensure continuity for returning users
Statements from Michael Osterloh, Managing Director at HOSTAFRICA, emphasized their goal of “elevating hosting standards for the East African region while retaining the local experience customers trusted.”
Wycliffe Onduu, EAC Directory’s founder, noted the acquisition would “give our customers access to world-class infrastructure while maintaining the community-focused support we built.”
What Changed After HOSTAFRICA Took Over?
After HOSTAFRICA acquired EAC Directory, several operational and technical changes were implemented—targeting performance improvement while maintaining service familiarity for long-standing users. Some of the key changes included:
- Infrastructure Upgrade: Hosting accounts were migrated to HOSTAFRICA’s Tier 3-certified data centers in South Africa, offering enhanced uptime SLAs and faster load speeds compared to the legacy Kenyan-based servers.
- Billing and Plan Adjustments: Monthly and annual plans were realigned to match HOSTAFRICA’s regional structure, with pricing in KES and additional international currencies.
- Customer Support Model: While the Kenyan support team was retained, technical escalations were centralized under HOSTAFRICA’s multi-regional support framework, improving ticket turnaround times.
- Branding and Panel Changes: Customers logging into their hosting panels were gradually transitioned from the EAC Directory interface to HOSTAFRICA’s unified dashboard.
Most crucially, existing users did not lose any data or services—domain settings, website files, and email accounts remained intact, with downtime minimized through proactive communication.
Step-by-Step Migration from EAC Directory to HOSTAFRICA
For the users who were previously managed under EAC Directory, the migration to HOSTAFRICA involved a streamlined, structured process. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:
- DNS Propagation
Customers were advised to update their nameservers to HOSTAFRICA’s set:
ns1.hostafrica.com, ns2.hostafrica.com - Email Configuration
Email settings remained unchanged for most accounts using standard IMAP/POP3. However, some users were required to re-authenticate via the new client portal. - cPanel & Files
All websites, databases, and FTP accounts were migrated using automated tools to avoid any data loss. - SSL Certificates
Existing Let’s Encrypt certificates were revalidated post-migration to maintain HTTPS encryption. - Support Channels
Users could raise migration-related tickets through both legacy and HOSTAFRICA portals for 30 days post-acquisition.
This process ensured that legacy clients did not experience unnecessary friction, and search visibility or uptime were not compromised during the switch.
What Customers and Founders Are Saying
Since the acquisition, long-standing users of EAC Directory have voiced both optimism and concern.
Many SME clients from Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kampala have expressed appreciation for increased site speed and faster ticket resolution, while others noted challenges adjusting to the new HOSTAFRICA portal and documentation style.
“Our uptime improved significantly since the transition,” said Ruth Kamau, owner of a fashion e-commerce site in Nairobi. “However, I needed assistance figuring out the new billing system.”
From the founding side, Wycliffe Onduu, who established EAC Directory in 2005, publicly supported the transition:
“This partnership allows EAC customers to experience regional-grade infrastructure while keeping our support roots intact. It’s a win for local entrepreneurs.”
These perspectives offer reassurance that HOSTAFRICA EAC Ltd is investing in continuity while upgrading the technical foundation of the original brand.
HOSTAFRICA’s Future Plans for East Africa
HOSTAFRICA has outlined a regional roadmap focused on expanding digital infrastructure and hosting support across Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. The company plans to:
- Deploy localized reseller packages for digital agencies in Kenya and Uganda.
- Expand into VPS hosting with Kenyan IP targeting to optimize geolocation SEO.
- Develop a regional data backup network for business continuity support across East Africa.
- Partner with regional fintech platforms to expand multi-currency billing options, including M-Pesa and Airtel Money.
HOSTAFRICA EAC Ltd is also exploring localized .africa promotions, targeting startups and youth-owned tech companies via subsidized bundles in partnership with local incubators.
These initiatives are designed to build on the original EAC Directory mission: empowering digital-first business models in Africa through reliable, scalable infrastructure.
Should You Stay or Switch Hosting Providers?
For current customers of the former EAC Directory now operating under HOSTAFRICA, the decision to stay or switch should be guided by specific needs:
Reasons to Stay with HOSTAFRICA:
- Access to enterprise-grade servers and uptime SLA improvements
- Centralized billing, professional support, and scalability options
- Legacy familiarity with retained cPanel access and brand continuity
Consider Switching If:
- You need physical server presence in Kenya for legal or compliance reasons
- You require hyper-localized customer support in Swahili or with onsite visits
- Budget constraints favor ultra-low-cost options from others
Ultimately, if your business is expanding regionally or globally, HOSTAFRICA offers growth-ready infrastructure. If your focus is hyper-local support and minimal overhead, other providers may better fit your model.
