Understanding Nigerian Phone Numbers

Quick Reference Guide

• Country: Nigeria
• Country Code: +234
• International Prefix: 009
• National Prefix: 0
• Regulatory Body: Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)

Overview

Discover the intricacies of Nigeria's telephone numbering system with this comprehensive guide. Designed for telecom professionals and developers, it covers phone number structures, dialing procedures, and key telecommunications regulations.

Numbering Plan Structure

Nigeria adheres to the E.164 international numbering plan, standardized by the ITU-T, and managed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Number Composition

• Country Code: +234
• Subscriber Number Lengths:
  • Fixed-Line Numbers: 8 digits
  • Mobile Numbers: 10 digits
  • Special Numbers: Varies (e.g., toll-free, emergency services)

Number Format Breakdown

Fixed-Line Numbers

Type	Format	Example
Fixed-Line	0X{1,2}XXXXXXX	0123456789
Fixed-Line (Lagos)	01XXXXXXXX	0123456789

Mobile Numbers

Type	Format	Example
Mobile	070XXXXXXXX	07012345678
Mobile	080XXXXXXXX	08012345678
Mobile	090XXXXXXXX	09012345678

Toll-Free Numbers

Type	Format	Example
Toll-Free	0800XXXXXXX	08001234567

Special Services

Type	Format	Example
Emergency Services	112	112
Short Codes	XXXX	1234

Regular Expressions for Number Validation

Validate Nigerian phone numbers using these regex patterns:

• Fixed-Line Numbers:
  ^0[1-9]{1,2}[0-9]{7}$
  

• Mobile Numbers:
  ^(070|080|090|081)[0-9]{8}$
  

• Toll-Free Numbers:
  ^0800[0-9]{7}$
  

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial 0 followed by the area code and the subscriber number.
  • Example: 0123456789
• Landline to Mobile: Dial 0 followed by the mobile number.
  • Example: 08012345678
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial the 10-digit mobile number directly.
  • Example: 08012345678

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial 009 (international prefix) followed by the country code, area code, and the subscriber number.
  • Example: 0091XXXXXXXXXX (Calling India)
• Incoming: Dial +234 followed by the Nigerian number without the leading 0.
  • Example: +2348012345678

Mobile Number Portability

Introduced in 2013, Mobile Number Portability (MNP) in Nigeria allows subscribers to switch between mobile network operators while retaining their original phone numbers. This process is regulated by the NCC to ensure seamless portability across all major telecom operators.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Operator	Common Prefixes	Service Type
MTN Nigeria	0803, 0806, 0813, 0816, 0903, 0906	Mobile
Globacom	0805, 0807, 0811, 0815, 0905	Mobile
Airtel Nigeria	0802, 0808, 0812, 0708, 0902	Mobile
9Mobile	0809, 0817, 0818, 0909	Mobile

Regulatory and Management Information

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) oversees the telecommunications sector in Nigeria, including phone number allocation and management. They ensure compliance with ITU-T recommendations, particularly the E.164 numbering plan.

Number Allocation and Management

Numbers are allocated by the NCC to telecom operators based on their needs and capacity. The NCC also manages special number allocations, such as toll-free and short codes.

Technical Restrictions and Special Cases

• Golden Numbers: Premium numbers may be reserved or auctioned by the NCC.
• Number Blocking: Certain ranges or numbers may be blocked due to regulatory or security concerns.

Technical Considerations

For developers and systems administrators:

• Data Validation: Use the correct regular expressions for validating phone numbers.
• Internationalization: Store and process numbers in the E.164 format for global compatibility.
• Portability Handling: Systems should accommodate number portability, especially in services relying on mobile numbers.