African Country Phone Codes - International Calling Codes

How to Use International Phone Codes

Making International Calls to Africa

To call an African country from abroad, follow this format:

1. Exit code: Dial your country's international exit code (e.g., 011 from USA, 00 from most countries)
2. Country code: Dial the African country code (e.g., 234 for Nigeria)
3. Area or mobile code: Dial the area or mobile network code without the trunk prefix (the leading 0 in most countries that use one)
4. Local number: Dial the local phone number

Example: To call Lagos, Nigeria from the USA: 011 + 234 + 1 + local number

Identifying Countries by Phone Code

Received a call from an African country? Use the phone code to identify which country it's from:

• +20: Egypt
• +27: South Africa
• +212: Morocco
• +213: Algeria
• +234: Nigeria
• +254: Kenya
• +255: Tanzania
• +256: Uganda

Mobile Phone Numbers

When calling mobile phones in Africa:

• Some countries require you to include a mobile prefix (e.g., in Nigeria, mobile numbers start with digits like 070, 080, 081, 090, 091)
• Drop any leading 0 from the mobile number when adding the country code
• Example: To call a Nigerian mobile 0803-123-4567 from abroad: +234-803-123-4567

Cost Considerations

• International calling rates: Vary significantly by carrier and destination
• VoIP services: WhatsApp, Skype, and similar apps offer cheaper alternatives
• Calling cards: Can provide reduced rates for frequent callers
• Roaming charges: Check with your carrier before traveling

Country Code vs. Area Code

Country Code: Identifies the country (e.g., +234 for Nigeria)

Area Code: Identifies a city or region within the country (e.g., 1 for Lagos, 9 for Abuja in Nigeria)

Special Cases

• Egypt (+20) and South Africa (+27): The only two African countries with two-digit calling codes
• South Sudan (+211): The newest African code, introduced after independence in 2011; Sudan kept +249
• Western Sahara: A disputed territory, not one of the 54 countries; it uses Morocco's code +212
• French and British territories: Réunion and Mayotte use +262, and Saint Helena uses +290 – these are not independent countries
• Côte d'Ivoire, Benin and the Republic of the Congo: The leading digits of local numbers are part of the number, so keep them after the country code (e.g. +225 07 … for an Ivorian mobile)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country uses +234?

+234 is the calling code of Nigeria. A Nigerian mobile number written locally as 0803 123 4567 becomes +234 803 123 4567 from abroad.

Which African country has the code +27?

+27 is South Africa's calling code. Drop the leading 0 of the local number, so 082 123 4567 becomes +27 82 123 4567.

What is the calling code for Kenya?

Kenya's calling code is +254. Kenyan mobile numbers written locally as 07xx xxx xxx become +254 7xx xxx xxx.

Do all African calling codes start with 2?

Yes. Africa is in ITU world zone 2, so every African country code starts with 2, from +20 (Egypt) to +291 (Eritrea). Zone 2 also includes a few non-African territories such as Greenland (+299) and the Faroe Islands (+298).