Area Code 22 – Lome

Geographic Overview

The area code 22 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the city of Lomé, the capital and largest metropolis of Togo. Lomé serves as the country's administrative, commercial, and industrial hub, situated on the Gulf of Guinea near the border with Ghana. The code covers the entire Greater Lomé area, including the communes of Golfe and Agoè-Nyivé, and is used for fixed-line (PSTN) services provided by Togo Telecom, the incumbent operator.

Dialing Formats

When calling a fixed-line number in Lomé from abroad, the international format is +228 22 XX XX XX, where +228 is Togo's country calling code, 22 is the NDC, and the remaining six digits constitute the subscriber number. From within Togo, callers must dial the full national number: 22 XX XX XX (including the trunk prefix '0' is not required, as Togo uses a closed numbering plan). For example, a local call from another city in Togo to Lomé would be dialed as 22 12 34 56.

Numbering Plan and Overlays

Togo's national numbering plan, administered by the Autorité de Régulation des Secteurs de Réseaux (ARCEP Togo), allocates geographic codes based on administrative regions. The 22 prefix is exclusively reserved for Lomé, while other regions use different codes (e.g., 30 for Sokodé, 40 for Kara). As of now, there is no overlay code for Lomé; the 22 prefix remains the sole geographic code for the capital. However, due to the growth of mobile and VoIP services, fixed-line penetration is limited, and many businesses rely on mobile numbers starting with 90, 91, 92, etc.

Caller Instructions

For international callers, always replace the local leading '0' (if any) with the country code. For instance, a number written locally as 22 12 34 56 becomes +228 22 12 34 56 when dialed from abroad. For local callers within Togo, simply dial the eight-digit number as it appears. If you are using a mobile phone in Togo, you can dial the number directly without any additional prefixes. For calls from landlines in other Togolese regions, the same national format applies.

Practical Considerations

Fixed-line numbers in Lomé are primarily used by government offices, large enterprises, and some residential customers. International call rates to Togo vary by provider, and VoIP services may offer lower rates. When storing numbers in your contacts, always use the international format to ensure correct dialing from anywhere.