+234 explained
The Nigeria country code, 234, is what you dial before a Nigeria number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Nigeria dialing code, Nigeria calling code, or Nigeria phone code. In the Nigeria phone number format, +234 comes first, then the area code, such as 201 for Lagos, then the local number.
- Country code
- +234
- The 00234 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- NG, NGA
- Use the NG country code or the NGA country code on forms and passports. To call Nigeria, dial +234
- Used in
- Nigeria
- No other country or territory dials +234
- 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 +234
- Number length
- 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 digits
- After +234
- Time now in Nigeria
- Nigeria mobile number format
- 0802 123 4567
- From abroad: +234 802 123 4567
- Nigeria landline number format
- 02033 12 3456
- From abroad: +234 2033 12 3456
+234 area codes of main cities
Each +234 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +234, then the city code, then the local number. Inside Nigeria, callers leave out +234 and put 0 in front of the city code. So Lagos is +234 201 from abroad and 0201 at home.
- Lagos
- +234201
- Ibadan
- +234202
- Benin
- +2342052
- Abuja
- +234209
- Onitsha
- +2342046
- Warri
- +2342053
- Ilorin
- +2342031
- Abeokuta
- +2342039
- Akure
- +2342034
Nigeria phone number types
The first digits of a Nigeria 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 Nigeria phone number, as dialed inside Nigeria and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Nigeria
“How far?”
It means how are you or what's up, not a question about distance
Reply
“I dey kampe”
I'm doing very well, in Nigerian Pidgin
Emergency number
112
112 also reaches the Road Safety Corps and the Civil Defence Corps, not just the police, ambulance, and fire service.
NCC, presentation of Nigeria's emergency number to the ITUNCC calls memorable numbers such as 080101010101 and 07055555555 golden numbers, since they're easy to remember but few in supply.
NCC, Development of a New Numbering Plan for NigeriaMTN Nigeria was fined a record $5.2 billion in 2015 for issuing 5.2 million unregistered and pre-registered SIM cards.
Wikipedia: Telecommunications in NigeriaNigeria is Africa's largest ICT market, with 82% of the continent's telecoms subscribers.
Wikipedia: Telecommunications in NigeriaNCC says the near collapse of Nigeria's fixed-line network calls for a review of the numbering plan, to free up old numbers still assigned to accounts that no longer exist.
NCC, Development of a New Numbering Plan for Nigeria
What it costs to call Nigeria (using Suparelay)
Landline from $0.35/minMobile from $0.27/min
Only 75 of 220 countries cost less to call than Nigeria.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Nigeria?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Nigeria fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The 0 is still in the number
The 0 at the start of a Nigerian number is for calls inside Nigeria. From abroad, leave it out: +234 replaces it.
- Connects
- 011 234 2033 12 3456
- Does not connect
- 011 234 02033 12 3456
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from most of Europe and Africa. From the US and Canada the exit code is 011.
- Connects
- 011 234 2033 12 3456
- Does not connect
- 00 234 2033 12 3456
The number does not take calls from abroad
Toll-free numbers that start with 0800 often cannot be reached from outside Nigeria.
- Connects
- 011 234 2033 12 3456
- Does not connect
- 011 234 800 1759 1759
Questions about +234
Which country is +234?
+234, or country code 234, belongs to Nigeria. No other country uses it.
What is +234?
+234 is the part you dial before a Nigerian number, such as +234 20 3312 3456, when you call from another country. It replaces the first 0 of the number.
What is the difference between +234 and 00234?
The + stands for your own exit code. 00 is the exit code across most of Europe and Africa, so 00234 and +234 reach the same number there. From the US or Canada, dial 011 234 instead.
Do I drop the 0 after +234?
Yes. The 0 is Nigeria's trunk prefix and works only inside Nigeria. Dial +234 2033 123456, not +234 02033 123456.
Can I text a +234 number?
Yes. Drop the first 0, the same as for a call, and write the number as +234. Your carrier sends the text abroad at its international rate.
How much does it cost to call Nigeria?
A call to a Nigerian 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.
Is the NG country code the same as +234?
No. NG is the ISO code of Nigeria, used in forms and address fields. The number you dial is +234.
How many digits are in a Nigerian phone number?
Nigerian phone numbers are 10 digits long. Only machine-to-machine numbers use 14.
What is a 0700 number in Nigeria?
A 0700 number is what NCC calls a vanity number: a corporate body uses it to brand a number with letters close to its company name.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
NCC, Nigeria's dialing procedure