0800 toll-free and 0700 numbers explained

Two kinds of number businesses ask for

Businesses in Nigeria often want a number that is easy to remember and works across the country, not tied to a city or a SIM. Two types are common: 0800 toll-free numbers and 0700 numbers.

0800 toll-free numbers

A toll-free number is free for the person calling. The business that owns the number pays for the call instead. Companies use them for customer support, sales lines, bookings and campaigns, because removing the cost of the call makes it easier for customers to get in touch.

0700 numbers

0700 numbers are not toll-free: the caller pays normal call rates. They are used as a business number that does not depend on a location, and as a number you can publish widely while directing calls wherever you like.

Which should you use?

What a vanity number adds

A vanity number is a number chosen to be memorable, for example one with a repeated pattern or one that is easy to say. It can be an 0800 or a 0700 number. A memorable number is easier to put on a billboard, a vehicle or an advert, and easier for customers to dial again.

Using them in practice

• Route calls anywhere. A number can ring an office, a call centre, a mobile phone or a cloud PBX.
• Pair with campaigns. A different number on each advert shows which campaign produced the call.
• Combine with messaging. Customers can call or text the same number where the service supports it.
• Use with other numbers. Local DID numbers work alongside them.

Toll-free and vanity numbers with Ruach

Ruach offers Nigerian 0700 non-toll-free numbers and 0800 toll-free numbers for customer support, campaigns, sales, bookings, calls and messaging. See toll-free and vanity numbers.

Availability of specific numbers varies, so contact us with the type and pattern you want.

Frequently asked questions

Is an 0800 number really free to call?

Yes for the caller, who is not charged. The business that owns the number pays for the calls it receives.

Can I choose the digits?

Often you can ask for a pattern, but availability depends on which numbers are free. Contact us with what you have in mind.

Can one number serve several offices?

Yes. Calls can be routed to different offices or teams, for example by time of day or by caller menu choice.

What is the difference between a toll-free number and a DID?

A toll-free number is free for the caller to dial. A DID is a number that rings into your phone system; callers pay normal rates to call it.