Africa Country Codes & International Dialing Guide
Browse all African countries and territories with their international calling codes, ISO 2/3 country codes and main time zones. Use the smart filter below to quickly find a specific country before placing international calls to Africa.
| Country / Territory | Region | Calling Code | ISO 2 | ISO 3 | Main Time Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Africa | +213 | DZ | DZA | UTC+1 |
| Angola | Africa | +244 | AO | AGO | UTC+1 |
| Benin | Africa | +229 | BJ | BEN | UTC+1 |
| Botswana | Africa | +267 | BW | BWA | UTC+2 |
| Burkina Faso | Africa | +226 | BF | BFA | UTC |
| Burundi | Africa | +257 | BI | BDI | UTC+2 |
| Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) | Africa | +238 | CV | CPV | UTC-1 |
| Cameroon | Africa | +237 | CM | CMR | UTC+1 |
| Central African Republic | Africa | +236 | CF | CAF | UTC+1 |
| Chad | Africa | +235 | TD | TCD | UTC+1 |
| Comoros | Africa | +269 | KM | COM | UTC+3 |
| Congo (Republic of the Congo) | Africa | +242 | CG | COG | UTC+1 |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the (DR Congo) | Africa | +243 | CD | COD | UTC+1 to UTC+2 |
| Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | Africa | +225 | CI | CIV | UTC |
| Djibouti | Africa | +253 | DJ | DJI | UTC+3 |
| Egypt | Africa | +20 | EG | EGY | UTC+2 |
| Equatorial Guinea | Africa | +240 | GQ | GNQ | UTC+1 |
| Eritrea | Africa | +291 | ER | ERI | UTC+3 |
| Eswatini (Swaziland) | Africa | +268 | SZ | SWZ | UTC+2 |
| Ethiopia | Africa | +251 | ET | ETH | UTC+3 |
| Gabon | Africa | +241 | GA | GAB | UTC+1 |
| Gambia | Africa | +220 | GM | GMB | UTC |
| Ghana | Africa | +233 | GH | GHA | UTC |
| Guinea | Africa | +224 | GN | GIN | UTC |
| Guinea-Bissau | Africa | +245 | GW | GNB | UTC |
| Kenya | Africa | +254 | KE | KEN | UTC+3 |
| Lesotho | Africa | +266 | LS | LSO | UTC+2 |
| Liberia | Africa | +231 | LR | LBR | UTC |
| Libya | Africa | +218 | LY | LBY | UTC+2 |
| Madagascar | Africa | +261 | MG | MDG | UTC+3 |
| Malawi | Africa | +265 | MW | MWI | UTC+2 |
| Mali | Africa | +223 | ML | MLI | UTC |
| Mauritania | Africa | +222 | MR | MRT | UTC |
| Mauritius | Africa | +230 | MU | MUS | UTC+4 |
| Morocco | Africa | +212 | MA | MAR | UTC+1 |
| Mozambique | Africa | +258 | MZ | MOZ | UTC+2 |
| Namibia | Africa | +264 | NA | NAM | UTC+2 |
| Niger | Africa | +227 | NE | NER | UTC+1 |
| Nigeria | Africa | +234 | NG | NGA | UTC+1 |
| Rwanda | Africa | +250 | RW | RWA | UTC+2 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Africa | +239 | ST | STP | UTC |
| Senegal | Africa | +221 | SN | SEN | UTC |
| Seychelles | Africa | +248 | SC | SYC | UTC+4 |
| Sierra Leone | Africa | +232 | SL | SLE | UTC |
| Somalia | Africa | +252 | SO | SOM | UTC+3 |
| South Africa | Africa | +27 | ZA | ZAF | UTC+2 |
| South Sudan | Africa | +211 | SS | SSD | UTC+3 |
| Sudan | Africa | +249 | SD | SDN | UTC+2 |
| Tanzania | Africa | +255 | TZ | TZA | UTC+3 |
| Togo | Africa | +228 | TG | TGO | UTC |
| Tunisia | Africa | +216 | TN | TUN | UTC+1 |
| Uganda | Africa | +256 | UG | UGA | UTC+3 |
| Zambia | Africa | +260 | ZM | ZMB | UTC+2 |
| Zimbabwe | Africa | +263 | ZW | ZWE | UTC+2 |
| Western Sahara | Africa (territory) | +212 | EH | ESH | UTC |
Africa region overview
From North Africa’s Arabic-speaking markets around the Mediterranean to the rapidly growing economies of West, East and Southern Africa, the continent offers a diverse mix of languages, currencies and telecommunication systems. Many African markets are mobile-first, with high adoption of GSM networks and prepaid SIM cards.
For international callers, the most important factors are the correct country code, number format and time zone. Below you will find a curated list of major African countries, their calling codes and basic dialing information to help you plan outreach into the region.
African sub-regions for campaign planning
When planning outbound calls or marketing campaigns, many teams think in terms of sub-regions rather than the whole continent. These clusters often share similar time zones, languages or business practices.
North Africa
Mediterranean & MaghrebIncludes countries such as Egypt (+20), Morocco (+212), Algeria (+213), Tunisia (+216) and Libya (+218), with strong trade links to Europe and the Middle East.
Typical time zones: UTC to UTC+2 · Arabic & French widely used.
West Africa
ECOWAS & Gulf of GuineaKey markets include Nigeria (+234), Ghana (+233), Côte d’Ivoire (+225), Senegal (+221) and others, many of which are in GMT or UTC+1 with convenient overlap with Europe.
Mixture of English- and French-speaking markets.
East Africa
EAC & Horn of AfricaIncludes Kenya (+254), Tanzania (+255), Uganda (+256), Ethiopia (+251), Rwanda (+250) and others, most using East Africa Time (UTC+3).
Strong mobile money and fintech presence; good overlap with Middle East & Asia.
Central Africa
CEMAC & Great LakesIncludes markets such as Cameroon (+237), DR Congo (+243), Republic of the Congo (+242) and others, typically in UTC+1 or UTC+2.
Many markets are French-speaking with resource-driven economies.
Southern Africa
SADC & industrial hubsIncludes South Africa (+27), Botswana (+267), Namibia (+264), Mozambique (+258), Zambia (+260), Zimbabwe (+263) and neighboring markets.
Mostly UTC+2 with relatively mature telecom infrastructure.
Island states
Indian Ocean & AtlanticIncludes Mauritius (+230), Seychelles (+248), Madagascar (+261), Cape Verde (+238) and others with their own country codes and tourism-heavy economies.
Time zones vary from UTC−1 to UTC+4; check each country page before scheduling calls.
Time zones across Africa
Africa spans several time zones, but many countries cluster into a few common patterns. This makes it easier to design call center shifts that cover multiple markets without huge differences in local time.
Common African time zones
| Zone | UTC offset | Example markets | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenwich Mean Time | UTC (GMT) | Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire | Aligned with UK time outside British summer time. |
| West Africa Time | UTC+1 | Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, Cameroon | One hour ahead of GMT; convenient overlap with Europe. |
| Central Africa Time | UTC+2 | South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique | Same offset as many Eastern European countries (no DST in most states). |
| East Africa Time | UTC+3 | Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda | Aligns with parts of the Middle East and Western Asia. |
| Island time zones | UTC−1 to UTC+4 | Cape Verde, Mauritius, Seychelles | Always verify local time and daylight saving rules. |
Always verify the current local time (and daylight saving policies) in your target country before booking important meetings.
Suggested calling windows
These are general guidelines for outbound calls from different world regions into Africa. Local working hours can vary by country and industry.
- From Europe: Morning to early afternoon (your time) works well for most of Africa, especially West and Central Africa.
- From North America: Late morning or early afternoon Eastern Time can match late afternoon in Africa; avoid very early or late local hours.
- From Asia: Late afternoon or evening (your time) typically overlaps with African mornings, especially for East and Southern Africa.
- Check holidays: Some markets in North and East Africa may observe Friday as a key rest day. Always confirm local public holidays and weekends.
Dialing patterns & example calls into Africa
Most African countries follow the standard ITU pattern: international access prefix from your country, plus the African country code, followed by the national number. Mobile numbers often have clear prefixes that identify the mobile network.
Generic international dialing format
Example (calling a mobile in Kenya from the US): 011 254 7xx xxx xxx
- Drop any national trunk prefix (commonly 0) when dialing from abroad.
- For mobile numbers, keep the network prefix (e.g. 7xx in Kenya, 60x or 80x in Nigeria).
- Store contacts in full international format (+234..., +27..., +254...) to avoid confusion.
US → Lagos, Nigeria (landline)
011 234 1 234 5678
011 (US exit code) + 234 (Nigeria) + 1 (Lagos area, without 0) + local number.
UK → Johannesburg, South Africa (mobile)
00 27 82 123 4567
00 (UK exit code) + 27 (South Africa) + 82 (mobile prefix, no leading 0) + local number.
France → Cairo, Egypt (landline)
00 20 2 1234 5678
00 (France exit code) + 20 (Egypt) + 2 (Cairo area, no 0) + local number.
FAQ: Calling African countries
Do all African countries share the same country code? +
No. Each country has its own unique calling code (for example, Nigeria is +234, South Africa is +27, Kenya is +254). There is no continent-wide code for Africa, so you must always check the specific country code before dialing.
Do I keep the leading 0 in African phone numbers? +
In most cases, the leading 0 used domestically as a trunk prefix is removed when you dial from abroad. For example, a South African mobile 082 123 4567 becomes +27 82 123 4567 when called internationally.
What is the best time of day to call Africa? +
Most African businesses operate Monday–Friday between roughly 09:00 and 17:00 local time. Because many markets sit between GMT and UTC+3, European mornings and early afternoons often work well. From the Americas or Asia, check each country’s time zone and avoid very early morning or late-night local hours.
Where can I see full details for a specific African country? +
Each country has its own dedicated page on CountryCode.online with dialing formats, example numbers, emergency services and time zone information. Start from the Countries directory or use the search box on the homepage to jump directly to markets such as Nigeria, South Africa or Egypt.
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