This free Nigerian phone number checker shows whether a number is valid.
A Nigerian phone number checker tells you whether a number is real, which means it follows Nigeria's numbering rules and is assigned. Enter a +234 number above and 1Lookup's free checker returns valid or invalid in seconds, with the line type and country, checked against Nigeria's numbering plan.
Pick the country, then enter the number without the country code.
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- Country code
- +234
- Mobile numbers
- 10 digits after +234, or 11 written at home, starting 07, 08 or 09
- Landlines
- 10 digits after +234, starting 02, such as +234Â 20XÂ XXXÂ XXXX
- Written at home
- 0802 123 4567
- Written for apps and SMS
- +2348021234567
- Dialed from the US
- 011 234 802 123 4567
A Nigerian mobile number is +234 followed by 10 digits, and the first one is 7, 8 or 9.
Written with the country code
- +234Country code
- 8Mobile start
- 02 123 45679 more digits
Written at home
- 0Replaces +234
- 8Mobile start
- 02 123 45679 more digits
The +234 and the 0 do the same job, so a number is never written with both.
A Nigerian phone number checker reads a number's format first and then checks it against Nigeria's numbering plan.
This is the path one check takes. A number can be written correctly and still not be assigned to anyone, so the format check alone is not the answer.
- You enter the numberType it the way it is written at home, such as 0802 123 4567, or paste it with +234.
- Its format is checkedEach type of number has its own rules. A mobile needs 10 digits after +234 and starts with 07, 08 or 09 at home.
- It is checked against the numbering planNumbers outside the US and Canada are checked against the numbering plan of their country, which for this page is Nigeria's.Nothing is sent to the number, so it never rings and its owner is never told.
- You see valid or invalidWith the line type and country in a few seconds, and the carrier or network where one is listed.
A Nigerian mobile number has 10 digits after +234 and starts with 07, 08 or 09, so any other length is not a valid mobile.
These lengths come from the numbering data for Nigeria. A mobile number has 11 digits when it is written at home with its 0. Landlines have 10 digits after +234 too, so the length does not give the type and the first digits do: 07, 08 or 09 for a mobile and 020 for a landline. The 0700 range holds vanity numbers and the 0800 range holds toll-free numbers, so they start like a mobile and are not one.
| Number type | Starts with at home | Digits after +234 | Written at home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile | 07, 08 or 09 | 10 | 0802 123 4567 |
| Landline | 02 | 10 | 020X XXX XXXX |
The first three digits after +234 show whether a Nigerian number is a mobile, a vanity number or a toll-free number.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) sent its updated numbering plan to the ITU in November 2023, and every range below has 10 digits after +234. An X stands for any digit. The notice does not list 707, and NCC's separate mobile number allocation table lists 0707 as a mobile range too.
| After +234 | Written at home | What the plan assigns it to | Digits after +234 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 700 | 0700 | Vanity special numbers | 10 |
| 701 to 706 and 708 | 0701 to 0706 and 0708 | Mobile network services | 10 |
| 71X and 72X | 071X and 072X | Mobile virtual network operator services | 10 |
| 800 | 0800 | Toll-free special numbers | 10 |
| 801 to 818 | 0801 to 0818 | Mobile network services | 10 |
| 901 to 909 and 911 to 916 | 0901 to 0909 and 0911 to 0916 | Mobile network services | 10 |
| 20X and 20XX with more digits after | 020X and 020XX with more digits after | Landline area codes, with Lagos at 201 | 10 |
Nigeria's telephone subscriptions fell from 224.71 million at the end of 2023 to 164.93 million at the end of 2024, and reached 197.42 million in August 2026.
NCC counts every active telephone subscription, which covers mobile (GSM), fixed wired and internet telephony lines. Each year's figure is the count at the end of December, and the last row is the latest month NCC has published. Of the 197,416,694 subscriptions in August 2026, 197,174,439 were mobile (GSM) lines, and NCC puts teledensity, which is subscriptions per 100 people, at 91.07%.
| Period | Telephone subscriptions |
|---|---|
| End of 2019 | 184,699,409 |
| End of 2020 | 204,601,313 |
| End of 2021 | 195,463,898 |
| End of 2022 | 222,571,568 |
| End of 2023 | 224,713,710 |
| End of 2024 | 164,926,599 |
| End of 2025 | 179,642,333 |
| August 2026 | 197,416,694 |
Between 1,111 and 1,835 Nigerian mobile numbers a month moved to a new network from September 2025 to August 2026.
Mobile number portability lets a subscriber keep a number and change network, and NCC counts each transaction where a number is transferred from one service provider to another. The 12 months below add up to 16,701. The incoming and outgoing totals match in every month, so one count serves for both, and the first digits of a number do not show the network it is on today.
| Month | Mobile numbers moved to a new network |
|---|---|
| September 2025 | 1,255 |
| October 2025 | 1,597 |
| November 2025 | 1,392 |
| December 2025 | 1,393 |
| January 2026 | 1,468 |
| February 2026 | 1,835 |
| March 2026 | 1,267 |
| April 2026 | 1,716 |
| May 2026 | 1,148 |
| June 2026 | 1,268 |
| July 2026 | 1,251 |
| August 2026 | 1,111 |
Three common mistakes make a Nigerian number fail the check, and each one is quick to fix.
Keeping the 0 after +234 adds a digit.
The 0 is only for dialing inside Nigeria, so +234 0802 123 4567 is wrong. Drop the 0 and write +234 802 123 4567.
Typing too few or too many digits makes a number invalid.
A mobile number has 10 digits after +234. With 9 or 11 it cannot be a valid mobile, so look for a missing or doubled digit.
Leaving the wrong country selected changes how the number is read.
The checker reads a number by the rules of the country selected above, so keep Nigeria selected for a +234 number. Paste a number with its + and country code and the country is read from the number itself.
These are the questions people ask most about checking Nigerian phone numbers.
How do I check if a Nigerian phone number is valid?
Enter the number in the box above with Nigeria selected. The free checker returns valid or invalid in seconds, with the line type and country. Type it the way it is written at home, such as 0802 123 4567, or in full as +234 802 123 4567.
How many digits is a Nigerian phone number?
A mobile number has 10 digits after +234, or 11 written at home. A landline has 10 digits after +234, such as +234 20X XXX XXXX.
What does a Nigerian mobile number start with?
Mobile numbers start with 07, 08 or 09 at home, which is 7, 8 or 9 after +234.
How do I write a Nigerian number for an app or an SMS tool?
Use the E.164 form: a plus sign, 234, then the number without its leading 0 and no spaces, such as +2348021234567.
Does the Nigerian phone number checker show the carrier?
It shows the carrier or network where one is listed. Numbers outside the US and Canada are checked against the numbering plan of their country rather than live carrier data, so some come back with no carrier name.
Does valid mean the Nigerian number is active?
No. Valid means the number is real, correctly written for Nigeria and assigned. Whether a line is switched on and reachable right now is a different question, and the free HLR lookup answers it.
Can I check a whole list of Nigerian phone numbers?
Yes. This free tool checks one number at a time. A 7-day free trial opens CSV upload and the API, at 1 credit a number.
Does the person know I checked their number?
No. The check reads records only. No call or text goes to the number, so its owner is never told.
How do I dial a Nigerian number from abroad, and how do I dial abroad from Nigeria?
From abroad, dial the exit code of the country you are in, then 234, then the number without its leading 0, so 0802 123 4567 becomes 802 123 4567 after the 234. From Nigeria, NCC's dialing procedure says to dial 009, then the country code, then the number.
What does a Nigerian number starting 0700 or 0800 mean?
NCC's plan assigns 0700 to vanity special numbers and 0800 to toll-free special numbers. A toll-free number means the caller pays nothing and the business that holds the number pays for the call. Both start like a mobile number, and neither is a mobile.
Can I tell which network a Nigerian mobile number is on from its digits?
No. NCC's tables show which operator a range was allocated to, but mobile number portability lets a subscriber keep a number and change network, and NCC counted 1,111 numbers that moved in August 2026. The free HLR lookup shows the network a mobile number is on now.
How many mobile phone lines does Nigeria have?
NCC counted 197,174,439 active mobile (GSM) lines in August 2026, which is 15.07% more than the 171,352,591 it counted a year earlier.
Did Nigerian landline numbers change in 2023?
Yes. NCC's updated plan put 20 in front of every landline area code, so Lagos changed from 1 XXX XXXX to 201 XXX XXXX. The old and new numbers ran in parallel from 10 July 2023 to 1 January 2024, and a landline now has 10 digits after +234.
How do I stop unwanted calls and texts in Nigeria?
NCC's free Do-Not-Disturb service works on every network. Text STOP to 2442 to stop all unsolicited texts and calls, text HELP to 2442 to choose which kinds of promotional message you still want, and text ALLOW to 2442 to switch it off.
You can check numbers from other countries on their own pages.
- +61Australian phone number checkerCheck numbers from Australia
- +1Canadian phone number checkerCheck numbers from Canada
- +44UK phone number checkerCheck numbers from the UK
- +353Irish phone number checkerCheck numbers from Ireland
- +91Indian phone number checkerCheck numbers from India
- +65Singapore phone number checkerCheck numbers from Singapore
- +64New Zealand phone number checkerCheck numbers from New Zealand
These free tools answer the next question about a number.
- The +234 country code pageHow to dial Nigeria, the time there now and the landline places.
- HLR lookupCheck whether a mobile number is switched on and reachable right now.
- Line type lookupSee whether a number is a mobile, a landline or VoIP.
- Carrier lookupFind the carrier or network behind a number.
- Phone validator for any countryThe same check with the country picker open to every country.
- Phone validation APIRun the same check from your own software, one request per number.
Sources: Google's libphonenumber numbering data for lengths, mobile starts and landline starts, as of September 24, 2026; the ITU list of country codes.