234 is the country calling code for Nigeria.
Nigeria is a country on the continent of Africa. The capital city of Nigeria is Abuja.
How to Call Nigeria from the UK
To call a telephone number in Nigeria from the UK:
- Dial the international call prefix. For calls from the UK, this is 00 (or '+' from mobile phones).
- Dial the country code for Nigeria - 234.
- Dial the number of the person/business, omitting the first zero if there is one.
Mobile Phone Numbers
In Nigeria, most phones are mobile. Landlines are rare.
Mobile telephone numbers in Nigeria are 10 digits long (excluding the leading 0).
Mobile numbers begin with 7, 8, or 9.
To call a Nigerian mobile telephone number from the UK or abroad, dial the international exit call prefix (00/+), the country code for Nigeria (234), and then the customer number e.g. 00-234-XXXXXXXXXX or +234- XXXXXXXXXX.
To call a Nigerian mobile phone number from within the country, dial the prefix 0 and then the number e.g. 0- XXXXXXXXXX.
Area Codes and Landlines
The following are the area codes for Nigeria’s major cities:
- Abuja – 9
- Benin – 52
- Enugu – 42
- Ibadan – 2
- Ilorin – 31
- Jos – 73
- Kaduna – 62
- Kano – 64
- Lagos – 1
- Port Harcourt – 84
When contacting a landline number from within Nigeria or from a Nigerian mobile, a 0 prefix with the area code is applied.
When calling from a landline in the same location, do not use the 0 prefix or area code.
When phoning from abroad, do not use the 0 prefix with the area code.
For example, to call a number in Lagos XXXXXXX from the UK:
- Dial the international call prefix (00/+), the Nigerian country code (234), the area code (no 0), and the subscriber number, e.g., 00-234-1-XXXXXXX or +234-1-XXXXXXX.
Fixed Lines – Statistics
Data from the World Bank shows that in 2023 there were 0.05 landline telephone subscribers for every 100 people living in Nigeria.
The table below shows how fixed-line phone subscription statistics have changed in recent years.
| Year | Landline Telephone Subscriptions (per 100 People) in Nigeria |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 0.05 |
| 2022 | 0.04 |
| 2021 | 0.05 |
| 2020 | 0.05 |
| 2019 | 0.05 |
| 2018 | 0.07 |
| 2017 | 0.07 |
| 2016 | 0.08 |
| 2015 | 0.10 |
| 2014 | 0.10 |
| 2013 | 0.20 |
| 2012 | 0.24 |
| 2011 | 0.42 |
| 2010 | 0.63 |
| 2009 | 0.92 |
Landlines are not very common in Nigeria. Like many developing countries, Nigeria skipped landlines and went straight to mobile.
Mobile Phones – Statistics
According to the World Bank, there were 101.69 mobile phone subscribers per 100 people in 2022.
In 2008 there were 41.34 mobile phone subscriptions for every 100 people living in Nigeria.
Mobile telephone subscription statistics by year for Nigeria are shown in the table below.
| Year | Mobile Phone Subscriptions (per 100 People) in Nigeria |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 101.69 |
| 2021 | 91.44 |
| 2020 | 98.03 |
| 2019 | 90.80 |
| 2018 | 87.07 |
| 2017 | 74.90 |
| 2016 | 81.81 |
| 2015 | 81.97 |
| 2014 | 77.47 |
| 2013 | 72.83 |
| 2012 | 66.31 |
| 2011 | 57.52 |
| 2010 | 54.24 |
| 2009 | 47.59 |
| 2008 | 41.34 |
The growth of the mobile phone market in Nigeria can be attributed to many factors. These include the increasing affordability of mobile phones and wider mobile network coverage.
Internet Usage – Statistics
According to statistics from the World Bank, in 2023 39.20 per cent of the population of Nigeria used the internet.
In 2009, only 9.30 per cent of the population were active internet users.
Internet usage statistics in recent years are shown in the table below.
| Year | Individuals Using the Internet in Nigeria (% of Population) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 39.20 |
| 2022 | 37.70 |
| 2021 | 35.50 |
| 2020 | 31.90 |
| 2019 | 29.70 |
| 2018 | 27.70 |
| 2017 | 25.90 |
| 2016 | 24.10 |
| 2015 | 22.50 |
| 2014 | 21.00 |
| 2013 | 19.10 |
| 2012 | 16.10 |
| 2011 | 13.80 |
| 2010 | 11.50 |
| 2009 | 9.30 |
Time Difference
When calling Nigeria from the UK, please note there is a time difference between Nigeria and the UK.
The time right now in Nigeria is . The date is .
The current time in the UK is . The date is .
The time difference between Nigeria and UK (United Kingdom) is 0 hours.
Exchange Rate
The currency used in Nigeria is the Nigerian naira (NGN).
The current exchange rates between the Nigerian naira and the British pound (NGN to GBP, GBP to NGN) are:
- 1 Nigerian naira (NGN) = 0.001 GBP
- 1 British pound (GBP) = 1830.27 NGN
Exchange rates on this page were last updated on .
Nigeria – Facts and Figures
Nigeria is a country located in West Africa. The official name of the country is the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The country is bordered by the countries of Niger to the north, Chad to the northeast, Cameroon to the east, and Benin to the west. Nigeria has a coastline that lies on the Gulf of Guinea in the south.
The country covers an area of 923,768 square kilometres. The capital city of Nigeria is Abuja. The largest city is Lagos.
Nigeria has a diverse culture with over 250 ethnic groups. The three largest and most dominant ethnic groups are the Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba.
The official language of Nigeria is English. However, there are over 500 different indigenous languages spoken in the country. The three largest language families in Nigeria are the Niger-Congo languages, the Nilo-Saharan languages, and the Afro-Asiatic languages.
The Hausa language is the most widely spoken in Nigeria. It is a member of the Niger-Congo language family and is spoken by the Hausa people, who are the largest ethnic group in Nigeria.
The climate of Nigeria varies depending on the region. The northern part of the country has a hot, dry climate. The central region has a tropical climate. The southern part of the country has a warm, humid climate.
Nigeria is a developing country. The economy is diversified with agriculture, manufacturing, and oil production. The country is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Useful information about Nigeria:
- Two-letter Country Code (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2): NG
- Three-letter Country Code (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3): NGA
- Region: Africa
- Sub-region: Western Africa
- Capital: Abuja
- Area: 923,768 square km
- Language(s): English
- Borders: Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger
Data from the World Bank shows that in 2023 the population of Nigeria was 223,804,632.
In 2009, the population was 156,595,758. Over the last 15 years, the population grew by 67,208,874 (42.9%).
The table below shows how the total population has changed in recent years.
| Year | Total Population of Nigeria |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 223,804,632 |
| 2022 | 218,541,212 |
| 2021 | 213,401,323 |
| 2020 | 208,327,405 |
| 2019 | 203,304,492 |
| 2018 | 198,387,623 |
| 2017 | 193,495,907 |
| 2016 | 188,666,931 |
| 2015 | 183,995,785 |
| 2014 | 179,379,016 |
| 2013 | 174,726,123 |
| 2012 | 170,075,932 |
| 2011 | 165,463,745 |
| 2010 | 160,952,853 |
| 2009 | 156,595,758 |
Map of Nigeria
The location of Nigeria is shown on the map below.
