A new numbering structure for fixed lines in Nigeria has been announced by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The Times reported that the fixed lines, which are primarily used by companies, will now have the prefix “02” before the original numbers, according to the telecom authority.
The Nigerian Communications Commission, in a statement issued on Wednesday, claimed that the adjustment was made in accordance with its obligations under the enabling law, the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, to manage Nigeria’s numbering resources.
With this modification, Nigeria’s Fixed-Lines Numbering Format has gone from eight to ten digits by simply prefixing the existing fixed number with “02”. However, the Commission highlighted that current numbers would continue to function simultaneously until the switchover date of December 31, 2023.
The new numbering scheme with the “02” prefix will be in use as of January 1, 2024. In other words, until the cut-over date (December 31, 2023), the old and new number formats may be used together.
The new fixed-lines format will thereafter become fully accepted across all networks starting on January 1, 2024.
In a statement issued by NCC and signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, the company provided examples of how the new numbers will appear beginning in January 2024:
“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.
“It’s crucial to remember that the change only applies to Fixed Telephone Numbers, though. The current mobile numbering format will not change.”
The International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations agency in charge of overseeing Information and Communication Technologies, is consistent in its practices, according to the Commission, and the announcement was made to convey a crucial obligation of the NCC.
While the majority of Nigerians use mobile phones, fixed lines are thought to be the best options for businesses, hence many establishments have fixed business lines.
This service is being offered by mobile network operators like including iPNX, 21st Century, and two others: MTN and Glo.
The NCC’s statistics reveal that there were a total of as of July this year, there were 96,771 actively connected fixed lines in the country. 21st Century is the largest operator in this segment as it accounts for 88% of the total active connections.
