When the sun rises over Cape Verde it has already set over Mauritius, four hours and a continent away. Yet most of Africa keeps the same offset all year. No spring forward, no fall back. That makes converting between WAT, CAT, EAT, SAST and your local time a one‑off calculation, not a seasonal guessing game.
Africa Time Converters at a Glance
Africa uses four main time zones. Know your zone, and the converter results become predictable.
| Zone | Offset | Countries (examples) |
|---|---|---|
| WAT (West Africa Time) | UTC+1 | Nigeria, Algeria, Tunisia, Cameroon, DRC (west) |
| CAT (Central Africa Time) | UTC+2 | South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Sudan, South Sudan |
| EAT (East Africa Time) | UTC+3 | Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia |
| SAST (South African Standard Time) | UTC+2 | South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini |
Ghana sits on GMT (UTC+0), not WAT. Egypt uses EET (UTC+2) and shifts to EEST (UTC+3) during DST. Both break the neat four‑zone summary.
WAT Converters: West Africa to World Times
WAT is UTC+1, the same offset as Central European Time in winter. Lagos runs 1 hour ahead of London, 6 hours ahead of New York (EST).
For a direct comparison: Lagos vs London Time Difference.
CAT Converters: Central Africa to World Times
CAT is UTC+2. Johannesburg sits 2 hours ahead of London, 7 hours ahead of New York.
Check Johannesburg vs London Time Difference for the full picture.
EAT Converters: East Africa to World Times
EAT is UTC+3. Nairobi runs 3 hours ahead of London, 8 hours ahead of New York.
See Nairobi vs London Time Difference for details.
SAST Converters: South Africa to World Times
SAST is UTC+2, identical in offset to CAT but a distinct name. South Africa does not observe DST, so the offset never changes.
How to Use the Africa Time Converters
Identify the zone. Lagos (WAT, UTC+1). Nairobi (EAT, UTC+3). Johannesburg (SAST, UTC+2).
Compare with your reference. London is UTC+0 in winter, UTC+1 in summer. New York is UTC‑5 (EST) or UTC‑4 (EDT).
Calculate the difference. For Lagos to London, subtract 1 hour in winter, 0 in summer. For Nairobi to New York, subtract 8 hours in winter, 7 in summer.
Check the date. If one side is on DST and the other is not, the difference shifts.
Understanding DST in Africa Converter Results
Three African territories observe DST: Egypt, Morocco, and Western Sahara.
Egypt uses EEST (UTC+3) during DST, reverting to EET (UTC+2) in winter. The schedule has been volatile. Check the current year's dates with the Egyptian government before relying on any converter output.
Morocco uses UTC+1 during summer and UTC+0 in winter, but suspends DST during Ramadan, shifting to UTC+0 for the holy month. This makes Casablanca vs Paris Time Difference a moving target.
Western Sahara follows Morocco's schedule de facto.
Every other African country keeps a constant offset year‑round. The result: time differences with Europe and the US change twice a year, but only because the non‑African side changes clocks.
For a broader view, compare Africa vs New York Time or check Africa Time FAQ for common questions.
Remote workers scheduling calls with Morocco: do not assume European DST dates apply. Morocco's Ramadan suspension means the offset shifts by a full hour during the holy month, and that date moves roughly 11 days earlier each Gregorian year. Check the calendar before every meeting, not once a year.