Area Code 1167 – Addis Ababa

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

The Ethiopian country code +251, followed by the National Destination Code (NDC) 1167, designates a specific geographic numbering area within Addis Ababa, the capital and administrative hub of Ethiopia. This prefix is allocated to the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (Ethio Telecom), the sole fixed-line operator in the country. The 1167 code serves the central and southwestern districts of Addis Ababa, including neighborhoods such as Nifas Silk-Lafto, Kolfe Keranio, and parts of the Addis Ketema sub-city. As a geographic code, it is tied to the physical location of the subscriber's line, and the number is used for fixed-line PSTN services, including traditional analog lines and ISDN-based digital connections.

Dialing Formats and Caller Instructions

To call a number with the prefix 1167 from within Ethiopia, subscribers must dial the trunk prefix '0' followed by the NDC and the subscriber's seven-digit number. For example, a local call to a number in this area would be dialed as 011 167 XXXX (where XXXX represents the four-digit subscriber extension). Internationally, callers must dial the Ethiopian country code +251, then the NDC without the leading '0', followed by the subscriber number. Thus, the same number would be dialed as +251 1167 XXXX from abroad. It is crucial to note that the total number of digits after the country code is nine, making the complete international format +251 1167 XXXX (totaling 13 digits including the +).

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

Addis Ababa has experienced significant growth in telecommunications demand, leading to the introduction of overlay codes to supplement the original 11 area code. Currently, the city is served by multiple NDCs, including 1167, 1182, and 1190, among others, to accommodate the expanding subscriber base. This means that local calls within Addis Ababa may require ten-digit dialing (including the trunk prefix) even for numbers within the same geographic region, depending on the specific routing requirements of Ethio Telecom. Subscribers should verify the correct dialing procedure with their service provider to ensure seamless connectivity.

Technical and Regulatory Notes

From a technical standpoint, the 1167 prefix is part of the E.164 international numbering plan, and its allocation is managed by the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA). The code is exclusively used for fixed-line services, and number portability is not yet fully implemented for fixed lines in Ethiopia, meaning that the prefix generally indicates the physical location of the line. For businesses and residents in the covered districts, having a 1167 number can be a marker of local presence, which is often preferred for customer service and administrative purposes. When calling from mobile networks, the same international and domestic dialing rules apply, but callers should be aware of potential differences in tariff structures between fixed-to-fixed and mobile-to-fixed calls.