WAT Countries: Current Local Time
West Africa Time (UTC+1) covers the most populated band of the continent. Nigeria, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, and the DRC's western provinces all run on WAT year-round.
| Country | IANA Zone | Offset |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | Africa/Lagos | UTC+1 |
| Cameroon | Africa/Douala | UTC+1 |
| Republic of the Congo | Africa/Brazzaville | UTC+1 |
| DRC (west) | Africa/Kinshasa | UTC+1 |
| Algeria | Africa/Algiers | UTC+1 |
Algeria and Tunisia use the "CET" label for UTC+1. They do not observe European daylight saving.
CAT Countries: Current Local Time
Central Africa Time (UTC+2) covers the heart of the continent. Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, and the DRC's eastern provinces share this offset.
| Country | IANA Zone | Offset |
|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | Africa/Harare | UTC+2 |
| Zambia | Africa/Lusaka | UTC+2 |
| Malawi | Africa/Blantyre | UTC+2 |
| DRC (east) | Africa/Lubumbashi | UTC+2 |
| South Sudan | Africa/Juba | UTC+2 |
South Sudan is CAT, not EAT, despite bordering Kenya and Uganda. The DRC is the only African country that spans two actual time offsets: UTC+1 in the west, UTC+2 in the east.
EAT Countries: Current Local Time
East Africa Time (UTC+3) covers the eastern seaboard and the Horn. Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Somalia all run on EAT year-round.
| Country | IANA Zone | Offset |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya | Africa/Nairobi | UTC+3 |
| Ethiopia | Africa/Addis_Ababa | UTC+3 |
| Tanzania | Africa/Dar_es_Salaam | UTC+3 |
| Uganda | Africa/Kampala | UTC+3 |
| Somalia | Africa/Mogadishu | UTC+3 |
Egypt also sits at UTC+3 but uses EEST (Eastern European Summer Time) during its daylight saving period, which runs from late April to late October.
SAST Countries: Current Local Time
South African Standard Time is identical to CAT but carries a different name. South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini use SAST. The offset is the same. The distinction matters for scheduling: SAST is a fixed zone with no DST, while CAT countries also stay fixed.
Which African Countries Are on GMT, UTC−1, or UTC+4?
Three groups break the WAT/CAT/EAT pattern. Cabo Verde sits at UTC−1, the only African country west of the prime meridian. Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, and Gambia are on GMT (UTC+0), not WAT. The Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius, Seychelles, Reunion, and Mayotte are at UTC+4, an hour ahead of EAT.
Morocco and Western Sahara use UTC+0 in winter and UTC+1 during summer DST. The clock change is suspended during Ramadan.
How African Time Zones Work
Most African time zones trace back to colonial administrative decisions, not geography. Most nations kept those offsets after independence. Namibia shifted to CAT year-round in 2017. South Sudan chose CAT upon independence in 2011.
The practical takeaway: if you are scheduling across Africa, check the specific country, not the region. A call at 10:00 in Lagos is 11:00 in Johannesburg and 12:00 in Nairobi.