+254 explained
The Kenya country code, 254, is what you dial before a Kenya number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Kenya dialing code, Kenya calling code, or Kenya phone code. In the Kenya phone number format, +254 comes first, then the area code, such as 20 for Nairobi, then the local number.
- Country code
- +254
- The 00254 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- KE, KEN
- Use the KE country code or the KEN country code on forms and passports. To call Kenya, dial +254
- Used in
- Kenya
- No other country or territory dials +254
- Exit code
- 00
- From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0011 from Australia, and + from any mobile
- Trunk prefix
- 0
- Drop it after +254
- Number length
- 7, 8, 9, or 10 digits
- After +254
- Time now in Kenya
- Kenya mobile number format
- 0712 123456
- From abroad: +254 712 123456
- Kenya landline number format
- 020 2012345
- From abroad: +254 20 2012345
+254 area codes of main cities
Each +254 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +254, then the city code, then the local number. Inside Kenya, callers leave out +254 and put 0 in front of the city code. So Nairobi is +254 20 from abroad and 020 at home.
- Nairobi
- +25420
- Mombasa
- +25441
- Kisumu
- +25457
- Nakuru
- +25451
- Eldoret
- +25453
- Thika
- +25466
- Malindi
- +25442
- Kitale
- +25454
- Garissa
- +25446
Kenya phone number types
The first digits of a Kenya number tell you what kind of number it is: a landline, a mobile, a free number, or one that costs more to call. Here is a sample of each type of Kenya phone number, as dialed inside Kenya and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Kenya
“Hujambo”
It literally means you do not have anything
Reply
“Sijambo”
Emergency number
112
999 works too and reaches the same services. Both are national-only numbers, so neither connects from outside Kenya.
Communications Authority of Kenya112 covers every emergency service in Kenya, from police and ambulance to disease outbreak reporting and search and rescue at sea. 999 runs alongside it.
Communications Authority of KenyaKenya opened five new mobile number blocks in October 2020, adding operators such as Jambo Telcoms and Infura alongside Safaricom and Airtel.
Communications Authority of KenyaMobile number portability has let Kenyans keep their number when they switch network since April 2011. Fixed-line numbers cannot port.
Communications Authority of Kenya
What it costs to call Kenya (using Suparelay)
Landline from $0.46/minMobile from $0.32/min
Only 90 of 220 countries cost less to call than Kenya.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Kenya?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Kenya fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The 0 is still in the number
The 0 at the start of a Kenyan number is for calls inside Kenya. From abroad, leave it out: +254 takes its place.
- Connects
- 011 254 20 2012345
- Does not connect
- 011 254 020 2012345
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from Kenya, Europe, and most of the world. From the US and Canada the exit code is 011.
- Connects
- 011 254 20 2012345
- Does not connect
- 00 254 20 2012345
The number does not take calls from abroad
Kenya's short codes, such as 112, 999, and 116, are national-only and do not connect from outside Kenya.
- Connects
- 011 254 20 2012345
- Does not connect
- 011 254 800 223 456
Questions about +254
Which country is +254?
+254, or country code 254, belongs to Kenya. No other country shares this code.
What is +254?
+254 is the part you dial before a Kenyan number when you call from another country. It replaces the first 0 of the number.
What is the difference between +254 and 00254?
The + stands for your exit code. 00 is the exit code in Kenya, Europe, and most of the world, so 00254 and +254 reach the same number there. From the US and Canada, dial 011 254 instead.
Do I drop the 0 after +254?
Yes. The 0 is Kenya's trunk prefix and works only inside Kenya. Dial +254 712 123456, not +254 0712 123456.
Can I text a +254 number?
Yes. Write the number as +254 without its first 0, and your phone sends the text abroad at your carrier's international rate.
How much does it cost to call Kenya?
A call to a Kenyan mobile costs more than a call to a landline. The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.
What is the difference between 999 and 112 in Kenya?
Neither one is the backup. The Communications Authority of Kenya runs 999 and 112 in parallel, and 112 also covers disease outbreak and maritime rescue.
Is +254 the same as 07?
No. 07 is how many Kenyan mobile numbers start inside Kenya. From abroad, drop the 0 and dial +254 7, so 0712 123456 becomes +254 712 123456.
Is the KE country code the same as +254?
No. KE is the ISO code of Kenya, used in forms, addresses, and domain lists. The number you dial is +254.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
Communications Authority of Kenya, national numbering plan