+250 country code: Rwanda

Who uses the +250 code

The +250 country code belongs to Rwanda, listed on this page under the official name Republic of Rwanda. The ISO code for the country is RW. Callers reach Rwandan numbers through +250, and the country sits in the Eastern Africa subregion of Africa.

Location, languages and money

Rwanda is an Eastern African country whose capital is Kigali. Three languages are in official use: English, French and Kinyarwanda. The currency is the Rwandan franc. Rwandans set their clocks to Africa/Maputo, which runs at UTC+02:00. Anyone arranging a call to Kigali or elsewhere in Rwanda can use that zone to judge the local hour.

Number format and internet calling

A Rwandan mobile number written in international form looks like +250 720 123 456. The +250 prefix replaces the leading zero used inside the country, and the example shows the usual grouping for a mobile line.

Calls and messages to +250 numbers can be carried over the internet rather than through a traditional international route. A caller installs a calling or messaging application, connects to a data connection such as home broadband or a mobile data plan, and dials the number in the +250 format. The data connection carries the voice or text traffic, so the cost of the call depends on the application and the data plan rather than on standard international call rates. The same approach works for sending an SMS style message to a Rwandan mobile.

Rwandan mobile lines are run by operators including MTN and Airtel. Slashtel sends prepaid mobile top-ups to these Rwanda operators: MTN, Airtel. To add credit to a Rwandan prepaid line, use the option to top up a Rwanda number. A top-up adds prepaid balance that the recipient can spend on calls, messages or data according to their own operator's terms. This is useful when a contact in Rwanda needs credit before a call or when a visitor to Kigali wants to keep a local line active. The balance is credited to the number entered in the +250 format.

For any call, message or top-up, use the full +250 number and confirm the operator before sending credit. The country code, the capital Kigali, the languages English, French and Kinyarwanda, the Rwandan franc and the UTC+02:00 zone are the reference points for reaching Rwanda.