The Ivorian Minister of the Digital Economy and the Post, Mamadou Sanogo, officially launched on Wednesday the passage of mobile and fixed telephone numbers, from 8 to 10 digits, the entry into force of which is scheduled for January 31, 2021.

The changeover will take place on Sunday January 31, 2021, at midnight, a date set in consultation with the telephone network operators, prime contractors for this operation, said Mamadou Sanogo, during a press conference. .

“Nevertheless, ARTCI (the regulator) is examining with the operators the possibility of coexistence of the two plans for a certain period of adaptation for users already accustomed to 8 digits”, assured the Minister of the Digital Economy and the job.

This launch opens the communication campaign on the new 10-digit numbering plan. This new numbering will allow all telephone operators to have a capacity of 10 billion numbers against 49 million previously.


Implemented on the night of Saturday January 15 to Sunday January 16, 2000, the 8-digit National Numbering Plan has a duration of 20 years. The saturation level of this plan having been reached, the Ivorian State is launching this new 10-digit numbering.

However, the operation only concerns mobile and landline numbers. As for emergency services, assistance, special services and value-added services whose length is between three and five digits, they remain unchanged.

For mobile subscribers, users must add the prefix 07 in front of the old numbers of the operator Orange, 05 in front of the old numbers of the operator MTN and 01 in front of the old numbers of the operator Moov.

Concerning fixed telephony, users will have to add 21 in front of the old numbers of the operator Moov, 25 in front of the old numbers of the operator MTN and 27 in front of the old numbers of the operator Orange.

Mr. Sanogo noted that the work to upgrade the networks of the operators was completed on October 31, 2020, indicating that "the countdown has therefore begun", because the country will definitively switch to a 10-digit numbering in a month and a half.

In terms of calls abroad and reception of international calls, the code for Côte d'Ivoire remains +225 or 00225. To receive a call from abroad, the caller must dial the new number to 10 digits of its correspondent preceded by the code +225.

In addition, the tariffs in force of the operators will not be impacted, according to ARTCI, which mentions that the change of numbering plan does not impact the contractual provisions and the achievements of the subscribers and customers of the telephone operators.

The changeover is "totally free for all subscribers" and does not give rise to changes in subscriber profiles and modifications to user technical parameters (PIN, PUK, password and mobile Money codes, etc.), assured the regulatory body.

ARTCI notes that the changeover does not lead to the loss of current benefits (call credit, data, bonus, mobile account) and does not give rise to a change of SIM card.

For companies, they will have to update their mobile, landline and fax numbers on all their stationery, so as not to record disruptions in their various communications.

Today, mobile telephony in Côte d'Ivoire has a penetration rate of 130%. The sector itself has a turnover of more than 1000 billion CFA francs.