Figuring out which network a phone number belongs to used to be straightforward. These days, with so many providers and number porting in the mix, it’s easy to get confused by new prefixes.
Sometimes you get a call from a number that starts with digits you’ve never seen. You pause before picking up, wondering if it’s from MTN, GLO, Airtel, or 9Mobile. It turns out a lot of people are in the same boat, unsure which network a number belongs to just by looking at the first few digits.
Understanding Nigerian Phone Prefixes
The prefix is basically the first four to five digits of a Nigerian mobile number. It tells you which mobile provider originally owned the number.
Take the number 0803-456-7890, for example. The “0803” part is the prefix. It signals that the number originally came from MTN Nigeria. That’s the logic behind every prefix you see before the remaining seven digits.
MTN Nigeria Number Prefixes
MTN holds one of the largest shares of mobile users in the country. The prefixes originally assigned to MTN include 0703, 0706, 0803, 0806, 0810, 0813, 0814, and 0816. Later additions to the list include 0903, 0906, 0913, and 0916.
You’ll also find older prefixes like 07025, 07026, and 0704 tied to MTN through their acquisition of Visafone.
GLO Nigeria Phone Prefixes
Globacom, popularly called GLO, also has a wide range of prefixes. If a number starts with 0705, 0805, 0807, 0811, 0815, 0905, or 0915, it likely came from GLO. The company has kept its prefix structure simple over the years, making it easier to remember.
Airtel Nigeria Mobile Prefixes
Airtel’s list of prefixes is pretty extensive. Some of the earliest ones are 0701, 0708, 0802, and 0808. More recent additions include 0812, 0901, 0902, 0904, 0907, 0911, and 0912.
If you’re thinking of switching to Airtel from another provider, it helps to know how to port from 9Mobile to MTN or any other network using Nigeria’s number portability system.
9Mobile (Etisalat) Prefixes
Previously known as Etisalat, 9Mobile uses prefixes like 0809, 0817, 0818, 0909, and 0908. These are less common than others, but if you get a call from one, there’s a good chance it’s from a 9Mobile user.
Other Telecom Providers and Their Prefixes
Nigeria has more providers than just the big four. Multi-Links, now largely inactive, had prefixes like 07027 and 0709. Starcomms used 07028, 07029, and 0819. Smile, which focuses on the internet and VoIP, used 07020. Reltel, now known as ZoomMobile, used 0707. Ntel, another data-focused provider, owns the 0804 prefix.
Each of these companies added variety to the country’s telecom system, especially before the dominance of the top-tier providers.
Number Portability Changed Everything
Since 2013, Nigeria introduced mobile number portability. This feature allows users to switch networks without changing their numbers. Because of this, someone using a number starting with 0802 (which used to belong to Airtel) could now be on MTN, GLO, or 9Mobile.
So while prefixes offer a clue about a number’s origin, they can’t always confirm the current network.
If you’re trying to track a number’s current carrier, you’ll need to go beyond just the prefix. Or you can make use of services that confirm the network in real-time. This comes in handy when setting up call forwarding from one number to another, especially across networks.
Fixed-Line Providers in Nigeria
Not all Nigerian numbers are mobile. Some are fixed-line or landline numbers. These are mostly used by corporate offices and come with their own set of prefixes.
NITEL and Starcomms were known providers in this space. Lagos landline numbers usually start with 01, and others follow similar formats depending on the city.
Full List of Nigerian Telecom Operators
Here’s a quick snapshot of telecom operators running in Nigeria today:
- MTN Nigeria (including Visafone)
- GLO Nigeria
- Airtel Nigeria
- 9Mobile
- Ntel
- Smile
- ZoomMobile (formerly Reltel)
- Multi-Links Telkom
- Starcomms
- NITEL
Each of these players has contributed to Nigeria’s mobile communication setup over the years, even if some are no longer as active.
Conclusion
Phone number prefixes in Nigeria give a basic idea of where a number originally came from. However, with mobile number portability now in effect, that alone doesn’t confirm which provider currently owns the number.
If you’re trying to forward calls or manage multiple numbers, knowing the real-time network info is crucial. It helps for identifying networks, especially if you manage business or personal communications across various lines.
Article updated 4 weeks ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
