What is the country code for Nigeria?

Nigeria's country code is +234, assigned by the ITU. When calling from the US, dial 011 234 or +234 before the local number.

How much does it cost to call Nigeria from the US with Sayfone?

Sayfone offers calls to Nigeria at $0.34/min with transparent per-minute pricing. You can call directly from your browser with no app download required.

Do I need to drop the 0 from a Nigerian phone number?

Yes. Nigerian numbers start with 0 for domestic dialing (e.g., 0803 XXX XXXX). When calling from outside Nigeria, remove the leading 0 and dial +234 followed by the remaining 10 digits.

What time should I call Nigeria from the US?

Nigeria is on West Africa Time (UTC+1) year-round and does not observe daylight saving time. During US EDT (March–November), Nigeria is 5 hours ahead of the East Coast. During US EST (November–March), it is 6 hours ahead. For evening calls to Nigeria (6–9 PM WAT), try calling between 12–3 PM ET during summer.

How do I call a Nigerian landline from the US?

Since January 2024, Nigerian landlines use a new format with a '02' prefix. For example, a Lagos landline is now dialed as +234 201 XXX XXXX from abroad. Abuja landlines use +234 209 XXX XXXX. Drop the domestic leading 0 as usual.

Can I call Nigerian toll-free numbers from the US?

Nigerian toll-free numbers (starting with 0800) and short codes are generally not reachable from outside Nigeria. You can only call standard Nigerian mobile and landline numbers internationally.

What are the common Nigerian mobile prefixes?

Nigerian mobile numbers start with prefixes like 0703, 0803, 0806, 0810, 0813, 0816, 0903, 0906, 0915, and others. When calling from the US, drop the leading 0 and dial +234 plus the remaining 10 digits. Note that due to Mobile Number Portability, the prefix may not always indicate the current carrier.

Quick Answer

How to Call Nigeria from the United States

From the US, dial 011 + 234 + the Nigerian number (drop the leading 0). On a mobile phone, dial +234 followed by the 10-digit number. Sayfone offers calls to Nigeria for $0.34/min from your browser — no app download needed.

Start calling

Cost tools

🇺🇸From United States

To Nigeria🇳🇬

$0.34

Per minute

+234

Country code

Call quality

Landline rate

$0.34/min

Mobile rate

$0.34/min

Same per-minute Sayfone rate for landline and mobile.

Average call quality

Nigeria's growing diaspora in the United States makes this one of the key calling corridors. Whether you're reaching family in Lagos, Abuja, or anywhere across Nigeria, the dialing steps below will get you connected.

Steps at a glance

Dial 011 (US exit code) or press + on your smartphone
Dial 234 (Nigeria's country code)
Dial the local number without the leading 0 (10 digits)
Press call

Sources

1
FCC – International Calling Tip Sheet
US exit code 011 and general international dialing procedure
2
ITU – Nigeria Country Code +234
Nigeria country code +234 and national numbering plan

DIALING GUIDE

Step-by-Step: Call Nigeria from the US

Follow these steps to reach any Nigerian mobile or landline number from a US phone or Sayfone in your browser.

1
Dial the US exit code
From a US landline, dial 011. From a US mobile phone, you can press and hold 0 to get the + symbol, which replaces 011.
```
011 or +
```
2
Enter Nigeria's country code
Dial 234, which is Nigeria's country code assigned by the ITU. This routes your call to the Nigerian telephone network.
```
011 234 or +234
```
3
Dial the local number without the leading 0
Nigerian numbers start with a 0 for domestic calls (the national trunk prefix). When calling internationally, drop this 0 and dial the remaining 10 digits. For mobile numbers, this means the mobile prefix (e.g., 803, 806, 810) plus the 7-digit subscriber number. For landlines, use the updated area code (e.g., 201 for Lagos, 209 for Abuja) plus the subscriber number.
```
011 234 803 123 4567 (mobile) or +234 201 123 4567 (Lagos landline)
```
Press call
Once you have entered the full sequence, press the call button. The complete number for a Nigerian mobile should be 011 + 234 + 10 digits (or +234 + 10 digits from a smartphone).

Dialing format reference

+234

Use these patterns when entering a full international number to +234.

Mobile

+234 XXX XXX XXXX (10 digits after country code)

Landline

+234 201 XXX XXXX (Lagos) or +234 209 XXX XXXX (Abuja) — new 02 prefix format from Jan 2024

+234 803 123 4567 (mobile)
+234 201 123 4567 (Lagos landline)
+234 209 456 7890 (Abuja landline)

Major city area codes

Lagos201

Abuja209

Port Harcourt2084

Kano2064

Sources

1
FCC – International Calling Tip Sheet
US exit code 011 and dialing procedure
2
ITU – Nigeria Numbering Plan (country code +234)
Nigeria country code, national prefix 0, and number length
3
NCC – National Numbering Plan
Official Nigerian numbering resource

DIALING RULES

Key Dialing Rules for Calling Nigeria

Nigerian number formats differ between mobile and landline, and a recent numbering change affects landlines. These rules help you avoid common mistakes.

Always drop the leading 0

Nigerian numbers are written domestically with a leading 0 (e.g., 0803 XXX XXXX). When dialing from the US, replace this 0 with +234. Dialing +234 0803… will fail.

Nigerian mobile numbers are 10 digits (after +234)

All Nigerian mobile numbers follow the format +234 XXX XXX XXXX — a 3-digit mobile prefix (e.g., 803, 806, 810, 903) plus a 7-digit subscriber number, totaling 10 digits after the country code.

Landline numbers changed in January 2024

The NCC updated fixed-line numbers to a new 10-digit format by adding a '02' prefix. For example, old Lagos numbers starting with 01 became 0201 domestically. Internationally, dial +234 201 XXX XXXX for Lagos or +234 209 XXX XXXX for Abuja. If you have an older landline number, prepend '2' before the existing area code digit(s).

Use 011 or + from the US

The US international exit code is 011 for landline dialing. On smartphones, you can use the + symbol instead, which is recognized globally. Both methods route to the same international network.

TIMING TIPS

When to Call Nigeria from the US

Nigeria is on West Africa Time (WAT, UTC+1) year-round and does not observe daylight saving time. The time difference with the US depends on your US time zone and whether US DST is in effect.

🇳🇬

During US Eastern Daylight Time (March–November), Nigeria is 5 hours ahead of the US East Coast and 8 hours ahead of the West Coast. During US Eastern Standard Time (November–March), Nigeria is 6 hours ahead of the East Coast and 9 hours ahead of the West Coast.

Time & windows

Nigeria (WAT)

UTC+1 year-round

No daylight saving time

US East Coast

5–6 hours behind Nigeria

5 hrs during EDT (Mar–Nov), 6 hrs during EST (Nov–Mar)

US West Coast

8–9 hours behind Nigeria

8 hrs during PDT, 9 hrs during PST

🇺🇸Catch Nigeria in the evening (6–9 PM WAT)

12–3 PM ET / 9 AM–12 PM PT (during EDT)Good for personal calls after work hours in Nigeria

🇺🇸Reach Nigerian businesses (9 AM–5 PM WAT)

3 AM–11 AM ET / 12 AM–8 AM PT (during EDT)Early morning US calls reach Nigerian business hours

🇺🇸Weekend mornings in Nigeria (9 AM–12 PM WAT)

3–6 AM ET / 12–3 AM PT (during EDT)Best for relaxed family catch-ups on weekends

Calling tips

Nigeria does not change clocks, so the offset from the US shifts by one hour when US DST begins and ends.
If calling Lagos or Abuja for business, aim for 9 AM–12 PM WAT when offices are typically responsive.
For personal calls, late afternoon or early evening WAT (around 5–8 PM) tends to work well, corresponding to midday on the US East Coast during EDT.

Business etiquette

Greetings matter in Nigerian culture — take a moment for pleasantries before diving into business.
Titles (Chief, Dr., Alhaji, etc.) are commonly used and appreciated in professional contexts.
Scheduling calls in advance is recommended for formal business discussions.

Sources

1
Wikipedia – Time in Nigeria
Nigeria WAT UTC+1, no DST
2
timeanddate.com – New York vs Lagos
Current time difference between New York and Lagos

TROUBLESHOOTING

Common Issues When Calling Nigeria

If your call to Nigeria isn't connecting, check these common problems before trying again.

Included the leading 0 in the number

The most common mistake is dialing +234 0803… instead of +234 803…. The 0 is Nigeria's domestic trunk prefix and must be dropped for international calls.

Wrong number of digits

Nigerian mobile numbers should be exactly 10 digits after +234 (e.g., +234 803 123 4567). If you're getting an error, count the digits and verify nothing is missing or extra.

Using an outdated landline number

Since January 2024, Nigerian landlines use a new 10-digit format with a '02' prefix. If you have an old 8-digit landline number (e.g., old Lagos 1 XXX XXXX), it may need to be updated to the new format (201 XXX XXXX).

Network congestion or temporary issues

Occasional call connection difficulties may occur due to network congestion, especially during peak hours in Nigeria. Try calling again after a few minutes.

Some special numbers may not work internationally

Toll-free (0800), short codes, and emergency numbers (112) are generally not reachable from outside Nigeria. Only standard mobile and landline numbers can be dialed internationally.

Sources

1
ITU – Nigeria Numbering Plan
National prefix rules and numbering structure

Savings

See what you could save

Adjust the tools below to compare Sayfone with typical retail pricing for calls to Nigeria. Start with one call, then layer on monthly volume to see the bigger picture.

How to use these tools

Sayfone uses your live rate for calls to Nigeria — the same basis as the rest of this page.
First, estimate savings on a single call length. Then, model a full month of minutes versus typical retail benchmarks.
Retail competitor rows are illustrative — not a quote from any carrier.