How To Call Nigeria From USA
Quick Reference Summary
To call Nigeria from the United States:
011 + 234 + Area Code + Local Number
Examples:
- For Lagos landline: 011 + 234 + 1 + XXXXXXX (7 digits)
- For Nigerian mobile phone: 011 + 234 + 803 + XXXXXXX (7 digits)
When it’s 12 PM (noon) in New York (EST), it’s 6 PM in Nigeria (6 hours ahead).
How to Call a Landline in Nigeria
Calling a Nigerian landline from the United States requires following these specific steps:
- Dial the US exit code: 011
- Dial Nigeria’s country code: 234
- Dial the area code (1 or 2 digits for landlines)
- Dial the local phone number (typically 7 digits)
For example, if you’re calling a Lagos number that would be written as 01-234-5678 in Nigeria, you would dial 011 234 1 234 5678 from the United States.
When dialing internationally, you need to drop the leading zero from the Nigerian area code. So if the number in Nigeria starts with 01, you would dial just the 1 after the country code.
How to Call a Mobile Phone in Nigeria
Calling a Nigerian mobile phone follows the same pattern with some differences:
- Dial the US exit code: 011
- Dial Nigeria’s country code: 234
- Dial the mobile prefix (without the leading zero)
- Dial the rest of the mobile number (usually 7 digits)
For example, if the Nigerian mobile number is 0803-123-4567, you would dial 011 234 803 123 4567 from the US.
Nigerian mobile numbers begin with a zero followed by a 3-digit network prefix. Remember to drop the leading zero when dialing from the US.
Area Codes for Major Nigerian Cities and Regions
When calling Nigeria, you must include the area code (without the leading zero) as part of your call. Here’s a comprehensive list of major Nigerian cities and their corresponding area codes:
| City/Region | Area Code |
|---|---|
| Lagos | 1 |
| Abuja | 9 |
| Kano | 64 |
| Port Harcourt | 84 |
| Ibadan | 2 |
| Kaduna | 62 |
| Enugu | 42 |
| Jos | 73 |
| Benin City | 52 |
| Calabar | 87 |
| Aba | 82 |
| Abeokuta | 39 |
| Akure | 34 |
| Asaba | 56 |
| Awka | 48 |
| Bauchi | 77 |
| Dutse | 64 |
| Gombe | 72 |
| Gusau | 63 |
| Ilorin | 31 |
| Jalingo | 79 |
| Katsina | 65 |
| Lafia | 47 |
| Lokoja | 58 |
| Maiduguri | 76 |
| Makurdi | 44 |
| Minna | 66 |
| Oshogbo | 35 |
| Owerri | 83 |
| Oyo | 38 |
| Sokoto | 60 |
| Umuahia | 88 |
| Uyo | 85 |
| Warri | 53 |
| Yenagoa | 89 |
| Yola | 75 |
| Zaria | 69 |
| Abakaliki | 43 |
| Ado-Ekiti | 30 |
| Birnin Kebbi | 68 |
| Damaturu | 74 |
| Ife | 36 |
| Ikeja | 1 |
| Ijebu-Ode | 37 |
| Keffi | 48 |
| Nsukka | 42 |
| Ogbomosho | 38 |
| Okene | 57 |
| Ondo | 34 |
| Onitsha | 46 |
| Sapele | 54 |
| Umuahia | 88 |
Mobile Phone Networks
Nigerian mobile numbers start with a zero followed by a specific 3-digit prefix that indicates the mobile network provider. When calling from the US, remember to drop the leading zero.
| Network | Prefixes |
|---|---|
| MTN | 803, 806, 810, 813, 814, 816, 903, 906, 913, 916 |
| Airtel | 802, 808, 812, 701, 708, 902, 907, 912 |
| Globacom (Glo) | 805, 807, 811, 705, 815, 905, 915 |
| 9mobile (formerly Etisalat) | 809, 817, 818, 908, 909 |
| Ntel | 804 |
| Smile | 702 |
| Spectranet | 719 |
When calling a Nigerian mobile from the US, dial 011 234 [prefix without leading zero] XXXXXXX.
Time Difference
Nigeria follows West Africa Time (WAT), which is UTC+1. Nigeria does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
The time difference between the US and Nigeria depends on your location in the US and the time of year:
- Eastern Time (ET):
- Standard Time: Nigeria is 6 hours ahead
- During US Daylight Saving: Nigeria is 5 hours ahead
- Central Time (CT):
- Standard Time: Nigeria is 7 hours ahead
- During US Daylight Saving: Nigeria is 6 hours ahead
- Mountain Time (MT):
- Standard Time: Nigeria is 8 hours ahead
- During US Daylight Saving: Nigeria is 7 hours ahead
- Pacific Time (PT):
- Standard Time: Nigeria is 9 hours ahead
- During US Daylight Saving: Nigeria is 8 hours ahead
Call Nigeria For Less With Phone Card Choice
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- Dial the local access number provided with your card
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