Area Code 26 – Kara region

Overview of Togo's +228 26 Geographic Prefix

The +228 26 prefix is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the Kara region in Togo. This region is administratively centered around the city of Kara, which serves as the capital of the Kara Region and is one of the country's principal urban centers. The prefix is used for fixed-line (PSTN) services within this area, and it is allocated by the Togolese telecommunications regulator (ARTP) to the incumbent operator and other licensed fixed-line carriers.

Geographic Coverage and Dialing Formats

The Kara region includes the city of Kara and its surrounding prefectures, such as Kozah, Bassar, and Dankpen. Subscribers within this area are assigned numbers that begin with the NDC 26, followed by a subscriber number. In Togo, the national significant number (NSN) for geographic numbers is 8 digits long, including the NDC. Therefore, a typical number in the Kara region appears as 26 XX XX XX.

When dialing locally within Togo from another fixed or mobile line, callers must include the trunk prefix 0 before the NDC, resulting in the format 026 XX XX XX. For international callers, the format is +228 26 XX XX XX (or 00228 26 XX XX XX from countries using the international prefix 00). For example, a number in Kara might be dialed as +228 26 12 34 56 from abroad.

Caller Instructions and Overlay Considerations

Local callers within the Kara region can often dial the subscriber number directly without the NDC, depending on the operator's dialing plan. However, to avoid confusion and ensure proper routing, it is recommended to always use the full national format (with the 0) when dialing from a mobile phone or from a different fixed-line zone. There are currently no overlay codes in Togo; each geographic region retains its unique NDC. Mobile numbers in Togo are non-geographic and start with prefixes such as 90, 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98, and 99, so the 26 prefix is exclusively for fixed-line services.

Practical Usage and Number Portability

As with all Togolese geographic numbers, the 26 prefix is tied to a physical location. However, number portability may allow a subscriber to retain their number when moving to a different operator, but the geographic significance remains. For businesses and residents in the Kara region, having a 26 number establishes a local presence and is often preferred for customer trust. When calling from abroad, it is essential to drop the leading '0' of the national format and use the country code +228.