Calling to Benin
- A leading '+' in the phone number means 'dial your country's exit code'.
- Calling from a mobile phone: dial from on the country where you're currently located.
- Calling from a VoIP or satellite phone: dial from on the country where the phone is registered.
… to a mobile (cellular) phone or text (sms)
Use the same call sequence.
Mobile phone numbers begin with ‘4’, ‘6’, ‘8’, or ‘9’.
When calling a mobile phone user, dial to the country where the mobile phone is registered, regardless of where the person is currently roaming.
… to a VoIP phone
Use the same call sequence.
When calling a VoIP phone user, cdial to the country where the VoIP phone is registered, regardless of where the person is currently roaming.
… to a satellite phone
Benin does not have designated phone numbers for satellite phones.
Most satellite phones operate on their country code – calls to these satellite phones follow their call sequence.
… sending a fax
Use the same call sequence.
Calling within Benin (domestic dialing)
Dial the entire phone number as it is listed. There is no trunk or long distance number needed to dial when calling within Benin.
| eight digits |
| local phone number |
Benin’s phone numbers explained
Number details
Benin’s phone numbers are eight digits.
The first digit signifies whether the phone number is a landline or mobile phone.
Landline phone numbers begin with ‘2’. The second, third, and fourth digit signifies a geographic area of the country.
Mobile numbers begin with digits ‘4’, ‘6’, ‘8’, or ‘9’.
An example of a Beninese phone number
The Cotonou Airport lists its phone number in Contonou as + 229 21.30.14.13.
Phone number explanation
| 229 | 21 30 | 14 13 |
| country code for Benin | geographic (area) code for Cadjehoun | remainder of the phone number |
Local example – calling from another location in Contonou, Benin
Dial the entire phone number for all calls within Benin.
| 21 30 | 14 13 |
| geographic (area) code for Cadjehoun | remainder of the phone number |
Long distance example – calling from Kandi, Benin (on the other side of the country)
Dial the entire phone number for all calls within Benin.
| 21 30 | 14 13 |
| geographic (area) code for Cadjehoun | remainder of the phone number |
Mobile phone example – calling from a mobile phone (including a foreign mobile roaming in Benin)
Dial the entire phone number for all calls within Benin.
| 21 30 | 14 13 |
| geographic (area) code for Cadjehoun | remainder of the phone number |
International example – calling from outside Benin
To call from outside Benin, dial the exit code of the country the call is dialed from, followed by Benin’s country code of ‘229’, followed by the local phone number.
| exit code | 229 |
| exit code of the country the call is dialed from | country code for Benin |
Calling from Benin
’00’ is used as an exit code when dialing an international call from Benin.
Sources and more resources
- Transitory Authority for the Regulation of Posts and Telecommunications (ATRPT) – Benin’s telephone systems regulator.
- ITU (International Telecommunications Union) – United Nations specialized agency for information and communications technologies.
- International Telecommunications Union – DIALLING PROCEDURES (INTERNATIONAL PREFIX, NATIONAL (TRUNK) PREFIX AND NATIONAL (SIGNIFICANT) NUMBER) (IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITU-T RECOMMENDATION E.164 (11/2010)) – A A collection of dialing procedures for all countries and regions of the world. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- International Telecommunications Union – Benin (country code +229) National Numbering Plan – Details of Benin’s telephone numbering plan as submitted to the ITU. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
- Wikipedia – Telephone numbers in Benin – Wikipedia entry for telephone number data for Benin. Includes specific number ranges for each city as well as detail on calling procedures.
- BT – The Phonebook – Benin – Entry for Benin in the British Telecom international directory.