The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), announced that Nigeria’s Fixed-Lines Numbering Format has changed from 8 digits to 10 digits by just adding “02” prefix before existing fixed number. The telecoms regulatory body stated that the change was in keeping with its responsibilities under the enabling law, the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, to manage Nigeria’s numbering resources.
The commission however said that the existing numbers will continue to operate concurrently till the cut-over date of December 31, 2023. From January 1, 2024, the new numbering format beginning with “02” prefix will be operational.
For example, in the new order, to dial the hitherto existing number, 09461700, please dial 02094617000.
Additional examples are:For Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano’s current number format of 014630643, 094630643, 084460643 and 064460643 will now be 02014630643, 02094630643, 02084460643 and 02064460643 respectively in the new numbering format.
The Commission said that the change only affects the Fixed Telephone Numbers and that there is NO CHANGE to the existing mobile numbering format.
The announcement is made to give expression to a key responsibility of the NCC and it is consistent with the practices of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations arm supervising Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
According to the NCC data as at July 2023, there were a total of 96,771 actively connected fixed lines in the country, constituting 0.04% of the total subscriber line of 220,860,987.
