Last reviewed: 2025-01-07 · Reading time: 5 minutes
How do you dial United Kingdom from Nigeria?
- Country code
+44- Mobile numbers
-
Example:
+44 7911 123456Mobile numbers start with 7 and are 10 digits after +44. Drop the leading 0—dial +44 7, not +44 07.
- Landline numbers
-
Example:
+44 20 7123 4567London is 20, Manchester is 161, Birmingham is 121. Drop the leading 0 from the area code.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Keeping the leading 0—dial +44 20, not +44 020
- Calling 070 numbers thinking they're mobile (they're premium rate)
- Not accounting for UK daylight saving changes
When is the best time to call United Kingdom?
Timezone: GMT (UTC+0) in winter, BST (UTC+1) in summer
Same time
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM UK time (6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Nigerian time (winter) / 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM (summer) your time)
Almost identical timezone. Your evening is their evening. Minimal planning needed.
Business hours
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM UK time (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Nigerian time (winter) / 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (summer) your time)
Perfect overlap for business calls most of the year.
What should you know about calling United Kingdom?
The UK has four major carriers: EE, Vodafone, Three, and O2. Coverage
is excellent in cities and good across most of the country. Landlines
are still common, especially for older relatives and businesses.
Call quality from Nigeria to the UK is generally good. The relatively
short distance means lower latency than calls to more distant
destinations. If quality issues occur, they're usually on the
Nigerian network end during congestion.
Cultural tips
British communication is polite but more reserved than Nigerian style.
Calls tend to be shorter and more to-the-point. Business calls should
be scheduled when possible. Avoid calling before 9 AM or after 9 PM.
Voicemail is commonly used—leave a message if they don't answer.
Holidays to know
Christmas (Dec 25-26) is a major UK holiday—similar to Nigeria.
Easter weekend and bank holidays affect business availability.
August is peak vacation month in the UK. UK and Nigerian holiday
calendars are more aligned than with many other countries.
Alternatives to phone calls
WhatsApp is popular in both Nigeria and the UK for messaging and calls.
Many Nigerian families in the UK use WhatsApp video calls to stay
connected. FaceTime works for Apple users. Facebook Messenger is
also widely used among Nigerians.
Frequently asked questions
What's the time difference between Nigeria and the UK?
Nigeria (UTC+1) and the UK:
- UK winter (GMT/UTC+0): Nigeria is 1 hour ahead
- UK summer (BST/UTC+1): Same time as Nigeria
During British Summer Time (March-October), there's no time
difference at all. Nigeria doesn't observe daylight saving.
What are the area codes for major UK cities?
Major cities:
London: 20 · Birmingham: 121 · Manchester: 161 · Glasgow: 141 · Liverpool: 151 · Edinburgh: 131 · Leeds: 113 · Bristol: 117 · Sheffield: 114 · Newcastle: 191 · Nottingham: 115 · Leicester: 116 · Coventry: 24 · Bradford: 1274
Mobile numbers nationwide start with 7.
How do I know if a UK number is mobile or landline?
Mobile: Starts with 07 (or +44 7 internationally)
London landline: Starts with 020 (or +44 20)
Other landlines: Start with 01 or 02
Non-geographic: Starts with 03
Avoid 070 numbers—these are "personal" numbers with higher charges.
When does the UK change its clocks?
The UK moves to British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1) on the last Sunday
of March, and back to GMT (UTC+0) on the last Sunday of October.
During BST, the UK and Nigeria are in the same timezone. During
GMT, Nigeria is 1 hour ahead.
What's the cheapest way to call the UK from Nigeria?
WhatsApp calls are free over WiFi and very popular. For regular
phone calls, VoIP services typically offer better rates than
traditional carriers. Compare rates for +44 numbers. Mobile calls
to UK may cost more than landline calls depending on your plan.
Current rates
$0.04-$1.38/min
Rates vary by mobile vs landline. Billed per minute, rounded up.
View all rates →