Quick Answer: Nairobi’s area code is 020 for landline numbers only. Mobile numbers (starting with 07XX or 01XX) do not use area codes. When calling from abroad, use +254 20 followed by the local number.
Looking for Nairobi’s area code? It’s 020, but understanding when and how to use it can save you from costly mistakes and failed connections. Whether you’re calling a Nairobi landline from abroad, dialing locally within Kenya, or trying to reach a mobile number, the format changes significantly.
Nairobi is a city and a county in Kenya, and Kenya’s Capital city, handling millions of calls daily. If you are a business owner, an international client, a tourist, or a Nairobian resident, you will need to know the correct dialing format. If not a single mistake in your address format, it can delay important calls, cause missed business opportunities, or result in connection failures.
What is Nairobi’s Area Code?
Nairobi’s area code is 020. This three-digit code, also known as the National Destination Code (NDC), is assigned by the Communications Authority of Kenya specifically for geographic landline telephone services within Nairobi City and its surrounding areas.
The 020 area code identifies Nairobi in Kenya’s national telephone numbering plan and must be dialed when calling any Nairobi landline number from anywhere in Kenya or abroad. However, it’s crucial to understand that this area code applies ONLY to landline numbers; mobile numbers follow a completely different format without area codes.
Nairobi Area Code – Quick Facts
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Nairobi Area Code | 020 |
| International Format | +254 20 |
| When to Use | Landline calls ONLY |
| Mobile Numbers | Use 07XX or 01XX (NO area code needed) |
| Domestic Format Example | 020 XXX XXXX (8 or 9 digits total) |
| International Format Example | +254 20 XXX XXXX |
| Country Code | 254 (Kenya) |
| Coverage Area | Nairobi City and the surrounding areas |
How to Dial Nairobi Numbers
The format for calling Nairobi numbers varies depending on whether you’re calling from within Kenya or internationally, and whether you’re calling a landline or mobile number.
Calling Nairobi Landlines from Within Kenya
When calling a Nairobi landline from anywhere within Kenya, the format is straightforward:
Format: 020 XXX XXXX
The 0 at the beginning of 020 is the national dialing prefix and must always be included when calling within Kenya.
Calling Nairobi from Abroad (International Calls)
When calling Nairobi from outside Kenya, the format changes to accommodate international dialing standards.
Format: +254 20 XXX XXXX
The steps to follow are as follows:
- Dial your country’s exit code (USA: 011, UK: 00, India: 00, etc.)
- Dial Kenya country code: 254
- Dial Nairobi area code: 20 (drop the 0 from 020)
- Dial the local number: XXX XXXX
Further International Calling Examples are as follows:
- From USA to Nairobi: 011 254 20 XXX XXXX
- From UK to Nairobi: 00 254 20 XXX XXXX
- From UAE to Nairobi: 00 254 20 XXX XXXX
- From India to Nairobi: 00 254 20 XXX XXXX
- From South Africa to Nairobi: 00 254 20 XXX XXXX
Important Note: When dialing internationally, the + symbol can replace your country’s exit code. So +254 20 XXX XXXX works from any country.
Calling Nairobi Mobile Numbers
This is where many people make mistakes. Mobile numbers in Kenya do NOT use area codes, regardless of which city you’re calling from or to.
- Format from Within Kenya: 07XX XXX XXX or 01XX XXX XXX
- Format from Abroad: +254 7XX XXX XXX or +254 1XX XXX XXX (drop first 0, NO 020)
Mobile numbers work identically across all of Kenya. Whether the person is in Nairobi, Mombasa, or Kisumu, you dial the same 10-digit mobile number without any area code.
Nairobi Landline Number Format
Nairobi landline numbers follow a consistent structure that makes them easy to identify. The Standard Format is usually something like 020 XXX XXXX, and the Number Length is usually 8 to 9 digits total (excluding the country code 254), while the structure is 020 (area code) + XXX XXXX (local subscriber number).
The local subscriber number varies depending on the service provider and the specific area of Nairobi. Some numbers have 6 digits after the 020, while others have 7 digits, making the total length either 8 or 9 digits.
Complete Nairobi Landline Number Postal
Below is the complete official allocation of Nairobi landline numbers according to the Communications Authority of Kenya:
NAIROBI CBD & CENTRAL AREA NUMBERS
| Number Series | Provider | Service Area | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 21X XXXX, 22X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi Central | In-Service |
| 020 24X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi Central | In-Service |
| 020 26X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi Central | In-Service |
| 020 29X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi Central | In-Service |
| 020 32X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi Central | In-Service |
| 020 331 XXXX, 334 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi Central | In-Service |
| 020 460 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi Central | In-Service |
| 020 48X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi Central | In-Service |
| 020 49X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi Central | In-Service |
WESTLANDS AREA NUMBERS
| Number Series | Provider | Service Area | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 42X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Westlands | In-Service |
| 020 434 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Westlands | In-Service |
| 020 440 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Westlands | In-Service |
| 020 443 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Westlands | In-Service |
| 020 444 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Westlands | In-Service |
| 020 445 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Westlands | In-Service |
UPSCALE NEIGHBORHOODS (KAREN, PARKLANDS, MILIMANI, JAMHURI PARK, KABETE)
| Number Series | Provider | Service Area | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 270 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Milimani | In-Service |
| 020 271 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Milimani | In-Service |
| 020 272 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Milimani | In-Service |
| 020 273 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Milimani | In-Service |
| 020 28X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Milimani | In-Service |
| 020 36X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Parklands | In-Service |
| 020 374 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Parklands | In-Service |
| 020 375 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Parklands | In-Service |
| 020 386 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Jamhuri Park | In-Service |
| 020 387 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Jamhuri Park | In-Service |
| 020 389 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Jamhuri Park | In-Service |
| 020 39X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Jamhuri Park | In-Service |
| 020 388 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Karen | In-Service |
| 020 40X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Kabete | In-Service |
| 020 418 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Kabete | In-Service |
GIGIRI & DIPLOMATIC AREA NUMBERS
| Number Series | Provider | Service Area | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 712 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Gigiri | In-Service |
| 020 72X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Gigiri | In-Service |
| 020 762 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | United Nations Offices | In-Service |
EASTLEIGH & EMBAKASI AREA NUMBERS
| Number Series | Provider | Service Area | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 66X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Eastleigh | In-Service |
| 020 675 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Eastleigh | In-Service |
| 020 676 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Eastleigh | In-Service |
| 020 677 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Eastleigh | In-Service |
| 020 678 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Eastleigh | In-Service |
| 020 679 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Eastleigh | In-Service |
| 020 682 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Embakasi | In-Service |
| 020 683 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Embakasi | In-Service |
| 020 684 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Embakasi | In-Service |
| 020 685 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Embakasi | In-Service |
NORTH NAIROBI AREA NUMBERS (RUARAKA, KAHAWA, KARURA, KARIOBANGI)
| Number Series | Provider | Service Area | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 850 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Ruaraka | In-Service |
| 020 853 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Ruaraka | In-Service |
| 020 854 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Ruaraka | In-Service |
| 020 855 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Ruaraka | In-Service |
| 020 856 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Ruaraka | In-Service |
| 020 86X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Ruaraka | In-Service |
| 020 851 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Karura | In-Service |
| 020 852 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Karura | In-Service |
| 020 870 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Kahawa | In-Service |
| 020 871 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Kahawa | In-Service |
| 020 872 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Kahawa | In-Service |
| 020 873 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Kahawa | In-Service |
| 020 778 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Kariobangi | In-Service |
| 020 779 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Kariobangi | In-Service |
| 020 78X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Kariobangi | In-Service |
SOUTH NAIROBI & LANGATA AREA NUMBERS
| Number Series | Provider | Service Area | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 600 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi West | In-Service |
| 020 601 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi West | In-Service |
| 020 653 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi South | In-Service |
| 020 655 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi South | In-Service |
| 020 69X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Nairobi South | In-Service |
| 020 889 XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Langata | In-Service |
JOMO KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (JKIA)
| Number Series | Provider | Service Area | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 64X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | JKIA Airport | In-Service |
ALTERNATIVE SERVICE PROVIDERS (NON-TELKOM)
| Number Series | Provider | Service Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 310 XXXX | Jamii Telecoms | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 840 XXXX | Jamii Telecoms | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 34X XXXX | Geonet Communications | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 45X XXXX | Geonet Communications | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 73X XXXX | Geonet Communications | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 740-743 XXXX | Geonet Communications | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 745-749 XXXX | Geonet Communications | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 756 XXXX | Geonet Communications | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 759 XXXX | Geonet Communications | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 500 XXXX | Liquid Telecoms | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 501 XXXX | Liquid Telecoms | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 502 XXXX | Liquid Telecoms | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 503 XXXX | Liquid Telecoms | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 52X XXXX | Wananchi Group | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 764 XXXX | Wananchi Telecom | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 773 XXXX | Access Kenya | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 774 XXXX | Access Kenya | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 775 XXXX | Access Kenya | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 776 XXXX | Access Kenya | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 777 XXXX | Access Kenya | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 768 XXXX | WiAfrica Kenya | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 765 XXXX | SimbaNet Com Ltd | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 760 XXXX | MTN Business | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 465 XXXX | iWayAfrica Kenya | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 619 0XXX | iWayAfrica Kenya | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 476-479 XXXX | Icon Wireless | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 877 XXXX | Airtouch | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 878 XXXX | Iristel Kenya Limited | General Landline | In-Service |
| 020 611 1XXX | Valley Point Telecoms | General Landline | In-Service |
VOIP & SPECIALIZED SERVICES
| Number Series | Provider | Service Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 56X XXXX | Elige Communications | VoIP Services | In-Service |
| 020 57X XXXX | Elige Communications | VoIP Services | In-Service |
| 020 58X XXXX | Elige Communications | VoIP Services | In-Service |
| 020 59X XXXX | Elige Communications | VoIP Services | In-Service |
| 020 62X XXXX | Nurunet Communications | VoIP Countrywide | In-Service |
| 020 790 XXXX | Cloud One Ltd | VoIP Services | In-Service |
| 020 540 0XXX | Jenetworks Ventures | VoIP Services | In-Service |
FIXED WIRELESS SERVICES
| Number Series | Provider | Service Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 20X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Fixed Wireless | In-Service |
| 020 23X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Fixed Wireless | In-Service |
| 020 25X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Fixed Wireless | In-Service |
| 020 35X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Fixed Wireless | In-Service |
| 020 80X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Fixed Wireless | In-Service |
| 020 81X XXXX | Telkom Kenya | Fixed Wireless | In-Service |
KENYA MOBILE OPERATORS (NO AREA CODE)
| Operator | Mobile Prefixes | Format | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safaricom | 070X, 072X-074X, 079X, 0110-0115 | 07XX XXX XXX or 01XX XXX XXX | No area code needed |
| Airtel | 073X, 078X-078X, 0100-0109 | 07XX XXX XXX or 01XX XXX XXX | No area code needed |
| Telkom Mobile | 077X | 07XX XXX XXX | No area code needed |
FAQs
Nairobi’s area code is 020. This three-digit code must be dialed before any Nairobi landline number when calling from within Kenya. When calling internationally, use +254 20 (dropping the first 0).
No! This is the most common mistake. Mobile numbers in Kenya (starting with 07XX or 01XX) do not use area codes. Simply dial the 10-digit mobile number as is, whether calling from Nairobi, Mombasa, or anywhere else in Kenya.
From the USA, dial: 011 254 20 XXX XXXX. The 011 is the US exit code, 254 is Kenya’s country code, 20 is Nairobi’s area code (without the 0), and XXX XXXX is the local number.
020 is the domestic format used when calling within Kenya. +254 20 is the international format used when calling from abroad. The + replaces your country’s exit code, and the 0 is dropped from 020.