6 Best APIs for Carrier Identification in Nigeria
We've analyzed and compared the top 6 API providers supporting Carrier Identification for Nigerian developers and businesses. Find the right infrastructure fit for your startup below.
Written by Editorial Staffs as at 18th June, 2026
All APIs with Carrier Identification
| Feature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Basic phone number validation: FREE. Carrier lookup: $0.005/lookup. Line Type Intelligence (mobile/landline/VoIP/toll-free): paid add-on. SIM swap and caller identity: additional per-query fees. | Free: 1,000 validations/month (no credit card). Paid: $0.20 per 1,000 queries. One-time credit purchase available — credits never expire. Volume discounts on subscription plans. | Starter: $19/month (1,000 calls, 3 req/sec). Basic: $39/month (25,000). Standard: $69/month (50,000). Business: $99/month (100,000). Free trial on signup. | Free trial available, no credit card. Paid plans from $9.99/month (7,000 requests). Custom plans for 300,000+/month. | Free tier available. Paid plans available — check proweblook.com for current pricing. Supports bulk processing. |
| Phone Number Format Validation | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Carrier Identification | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Line Type Detection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SIM Swap Detection | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Caller Name Lookup | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Number Portability Check | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Nigerian Carrier Lookup | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Bulk Lookup | No | No | No | No | No |
| Phone Number Verification (OTP) | No | No | No | No | No |
| Phone Number Validation | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number Formatting (E.164) | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Country & Region Detection | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Bulk CSV Upload | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Nigerian Number Support | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| OTP Verification | No | No | No | No | No |
| Country & Region Data | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| E.164 Number Formatting | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Disposable Number Detection | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| VoIP Detection | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Bulk Validation | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Location Data | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| E.164 Format Normalization | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| CRM Integration Support | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| WhatsApp Check | No | No | No | No | No |
| Caller ID Lookup | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Real-Time Processing | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Async Processing | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Country & Location Data | No | No | No | No | No |
| E.164 Format Check | No | No | No | No | No |
| HTTPS Encryption | No | No | No | No | No |
| View Details | View Details | View Details | View Details | View Details |
TwilioLookup API
Twilio Lookup is a real-time phone number intelligence API that provides instant validation, carrier identification, line type detection, and fraud signals for any phone number globally. Built on Twilio's extensive carrier network relationships, Lookup enables developers to query phone number metadata before sending SMS messages, onboarding users, or processing transactions — helping reduce messaging failures, detect fraud, and route communications optimally. For Nigerian developers, Twilio Lookup is particularly useful for identifying which of the four main Nigerian carriers (MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile) a given number belongs to, detecting VoIP numbers commonly used in fraud, and identifying SIM Swap events that signal potential account takeovers. ## What the API Does Twilio Lookup v2 provides phone intelligence through a modular add-on system. The base request provides free E.164 format validation and number standardization. Paid add-ons provide richer intelligence: **Basic Lookup (Free)**: Validates phone number format, returns E.164 and national format, and confirms the number exists in Twilio's records. No carrier data. **Carrier Lookup ($0.005/lookup)**: Returns the carrier name, mobile country code, mobile network code, and line type (mobile/landline/VoIP) for the phone number. For Nigerian numbers, this identifies which carrier (MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, 9mobile) the number is on. **Line Type Intelligence (paid add-on)**: Classifies numbers into: mobile, landline, fixed VoIP, non-fixed VoIP, toll-free, or unknown. This classification is available for all countries worldwide. **SIM Swap**: Detects recent SIM card changes on a mobile number — a critical fraud signal indicating potential account hijacking. Returned as hours since last SIM change. **Caller Name (CNAM)**: Returns the registered name for the phone number (primarily US numbers, limited international availability). ## How Developers Use It Twilio Lookup is a simple REST API. A single GET request to `https://lookups.twilio.com/v2/PhoneNumbers/{PhoneNumber}` returns the requested intelligence. Add query parameters to enable specific packages: ``` GET /v2/PhoneNumbers/+2348012345678?Fields=line_type_intelligence,sim_swap ``` Authentication uses your Twilio Account SID and Auth Token as HTTP Basic Auth credentials. ## Pricing & Fees - **Basic validation**: Free — no charge for E.164 format lookup. - **Carrier lookup**: $0.005 per lookup (half a cent per number checked). - **Line Type Intelligence**: Paid add-on — pricing available at twilio.com/en-us/user-authentication-identity/pricing/lookup. - **SIM Swap**: Per-query fee varies by country. - **Caller Name**: Per-query fee for supported regions. ## Authentication HTTP Basic Authentication using your Twilio Account SID (username) and Auth Token (password). These are found in the Twilio Console. For production use, Twilio recommends creating scoped API Keys rather than using the master Auth Token directly. ## Rate Limits Standard Twilio account-level rate limits apply. These vary by account tier. Contact Twilio support or review the Console for your account's specific limits. ## Compliance & Regulations Twilio is ISO 27001 certified, SOC 2 Type II attested, and GDPR compliant. Twilio Lookup processes phone number metadata without storing user personal information beyond what is necessary for query processing. For Nigerian deployments, the carrier and line type data returned by Lookup can support CBN KYC requirements around phone number verification as part of customer due diligence. ## Challenges & Gotchas for Nigerian Developers 1. **VoIP detection for fraud**: Nigerian number fraud often uses VoIP numbers. Always check line_type_intelligence during registration and block non-fixed VoIP registrations. 2. **SIM Swap coverage**: SIM swap detection coverage varies by carrier. Confirm Nigerian carrier coverage (MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile) is included before relying on this feature for fraud prevention. 3. **Carrier lookup cost vs. value**: At $0.005/lookup, checking every user registration costs $5 per 1,000 users. For high-volume apps, model this cost against the fraud prevention value. 4. **USD billing**: Twilio charges in USD. Use a USD virtual card or wire transfer. 5. **CNAM limited for Nigeria**: Caller name lookup has limited availability outside the US. Do not rely on CNAM for Nigerian number enrichment. ## Company Background Twilio Lookup is part of Twilio's User Authentication and Identity product suite, operated by Twilio Inc. (NYSE: TWLO), a publicly listed cloud communications company founded in 2008 in San Francisco. Twilio's global carrier network and data partnerships power the phone intelligence provided by Lookup. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: Is basic phone number validation really free?** A: Yes. E.164 format validation and number standardization via Twilio Lookup is completely free with no per-query charge. **Q: Which Nigerian carriers can Twilio Lookup identify?** A: MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), and 9mobile (formerly Etisalat) are all identifiable through the carrier lookup feature. **Q: Can I detect SIM Swap for Nigerian users?** A: Yes, but availability depends on the specific carrier's data-sharing agreements with Twilio. Confirm Nigerian carrier SIM Swap coverage with Twilio support before deploying. **Q: Does Lookup integrate with Twilio Verify?** A: Yes. Twilio Verify uses Lookup internally for carrier validation. You can use Lookup independently as a pre-send check before triggering Verify OTPs.
Veriphone Phone Validation
Veriphone is a phone number validation and carrier lookup API that provides real-time phone intelligence for developers and businesses across 249 countries and territories. Built for simplicity and speed, Veriphone delivers carrier name, line type, number format validation, and country/region identification in a single API call with millisecond latency. The platform's standout pricing model sets it apart from competitors: pay-as-you-go credits never expire, eliminating the wastage risk of monthly subscription plans with unused quota. The free tier includes 1,000 real validations per month without requiring a credit card. ## What the API Does Veriphone validates phone numbers and enriches them with carrier and line type metadata. A single API call returns: - **Validation status**: Whether the phone number is valid and likely active. - **E.164 formatted number**: Standardizes any regional format to international E.164 format (e.g., `+2348012345678` for Nigerian numbers). - **Country**: The country associated with the number, including Nigeria (+234). - **Carrier**: The mobile network operator (e.g., MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, 9mobile). - **Line type**: Classifies the number as mobile, landline, or VoIP. - **Region**: Sub-national region associated with the number prefix where available. Beyond real-time API queries, Veriphone supports bulk validation via CSV upload — allowing teams to clean entire contact databases without writing API integration code. ## How Developers Use It Integration is a simple GET request: ``` GET https://api.veriphone.io/v2/verify?phone=+2348012345678&key=YOUR_API_KEY ``` The API returns a JSON response with all available metadata. The API key can be passed as a query parameter or in the `x-veriphone-key` header. No SDK is required, though client libraries are available for popular languages. ## Pricing & Fees Veriphone's pricing is developer-friendly and flexible: - **Free Plan**: 1,000 validations per month, no credit card required. Ideal for development and small-scale use. - **Pay-as-you-go**: $0.20 per 1,000 queries (i.e., $0.0002 per validation). Credits purchased are permanent — they never expire regardless of when you use them. - **Subscription Plans**: Monthly plans with lower per-validation rates for consistent usage volumes. The non-expiring credit model is particularly useful for Nigerian projects with unpredictable verification volumes — you buy credits when needed and use them at any pace. ## Authentication Veriphone uses API key authentication. The key is passed as a query parameter (`?key=YOUR_API_KEY`) or as an HTTP header (`x-veriphone-key: YOUR_API_KEY`). API keys are obtained immediately after registration at veriphone.io. ## Rate Limits The free plan allows 1,000 validations per month. Paid plans scale based on credits purchased. No specific per-second rate limit is documented — contact Veriphone for high-frequency use case limits. ## Compliance & Regulations Veriphone is GDPR compliant. The platform operates servers within the EU and automatically deletes submitted phone numbers after validation — no personal data is retained. This data minimization approach is beneficial for Nigerian developers handling user phone numbers under NDPR (Nigeria Data Protection Regulation), which requires appropriate safeguards for personal data. ## Challenges & Gotchas for Nigerian Developers 1. **No SIM Swap detection**: Veriphone does not offer SIM Swap detection — use Twilio Lookup if this signal is needed for fraud prevention. 2. **Carrier data accuracy**: Carrier information can become outdated due to number portability (when a user switches carrier but keeps the same number). Results reflect the number's original carrier assignment, not necessarily the current carrier after port. 3. **Line type for Nigerian numbers**: Nigerian VoIP numbers may not always be classified as VoIP — confirm accuracy for your specific fraud prevention use case before full deployment. 4. **No OTP functionality**: Veriphone validates numbers but does not send OTP codes. Pair with Twilio Verify or a Nigerian SMS gateway for OTP delivery. ## Company Background Veriphone is an independent phone validation service focused on providing simple, affordable, and accurate phone intelligence. The platform positions itself explicitly as a faster and cheaper alternative to Twilio Lookup and Numverify for developers who need carrier and line type data without the complexity of a full communications platform. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: Are Nigerian phone numbers (+234) supported?** A: Yes. Nigeria (+234) is included in Veriphone's 249-country coverage. Nigerian carrier identification (MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile) and line type detection are available. **Q: Do credits expire?** A: No. Pay-as-you-go credits purchased on Veriphone never expire. This is one of the platform's key differentiators. **Q: Can I validate Nigerian numbers in bulk?** A: Yes. Veriphone supports bulk validation via CSV file upload from the dashboard without requiring API integration. **Q: Is a credit card required for the free tier?** A: No. The free 1,000 validations/month plan activates immediately after email registration with no payment required.
Abstract Phone Validation API
Abstract API Phone Validation is a REST API that validates phone numbers and returns carrier intelligence, line type classification, geographic data, and fraud signals for numbers across 190+ countries and territories. Part of Abstract API's broader suite of data validation APIs (email, IP, VAT, and more), the Phone Validation API is accessible under the same API key used for all Abstract API products — reducing credential management overhead for teams already using Abstract APIs for other validation tasks. The API maintains a large and frequently updated database of phone numbers, carriers, and number types including mobile, landline, VoIP, and disposable numbers — making it useful not just for formatting validation but for fraud detection during user onboarding. ## What the API Does Submitting a phone number to Abstract's validation endpoint returns: - **Validity**: Whether the number is valid and properly formatted. - **Format**: E.164 international format and local format. - **Country**: Country name and ISO code (NG for Nigeria). - **Location**: Regional or city-level data where available. - **Carrier**: Mobile network operator name. - **Line type**: Mobile, landline, VoIP, toll-free, or unknown. - **Is disposable**: Flag for disposable/temporary number services. For Nigerian numbers, this returns the carrier (MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, or 9mobile), the line type, and the country/region data associated with the number prefix. ## How Developers Use It Simple GET request: `GET https://phonevalidation.abstractapi.com/v1/?api_key=YOUR_KEY&phone=2348012345678`. The `api_key` is passed as a query parameter. The phone number can be provided with or without country code. Response is a JSON object returned immediately. ## Pricing & Fees Abstract API Phone Validation requires a paid plan for production use: - **Starter**: $19/month — 1,000 API calls, 3 requests/second. - **Basic**: $39/month — 25,000 calls, 5 req/sec. - **Standard**: $69/month — 50,000 calls, 10 req/sec, multiple API keys. - **Business**: $99/month — 100,000 calls, 20 req/sec. - **Professional**: $199/month — 250,000 calls. - **Growth**: $499/month — 650,000 calls. A free trial is available on signup for initial testing. ## Authentication API key passed as a URL query parameter (`api_key=YOUR_KEY`) on every request. The same API key unlocks all Abstract API products under one account. ## Rate Limits Rate limits are per-plan: 3 req/sec on Starter, scaling to 100 req/sec on Growth. Requests exceeding the per-second limit are queued or rejected depending on plan settings. ## Compliance Abstract API processes phone numbers for validation purposes under GDPR-compliant data handling policies. Numbers are not stored for marketing or secondary use beyond the immediate validation request. ## Challenges & Gotchas for Nigerian Developers 1. **No free tier**: Unlike some competitors, Abstract API Phone Validation requires a paid plan for sustained use. The Starter plan at $19/month may feel expensive for low-volume Nigerian startups. 2. **No SIM Swap detection**: Abstract API does not provide SIM Swap signals — use Twilio Lookup for this capability. 3. **Carrier accuracy with number portability**: As with all carrier lookup services, Nigerian number portability (MNP) can cause carrier misidentification after a user switches networks. 4. **USD billing**: Abstract API charges in USD. Nigerian developers need a USD-capable payment method. 5. **Rate limits matter**: The 3 req/sec limit on the Starter plan can be a bottleneck if your registration flow triggers multiple validation calls simultaneously. ## Company Background Abstract API is a San Francisco-based API company offering a suite of simple, developer-focused data validation and enrichment APIs. The phone validation product is one of several offerings, alongside email verification, IP geolocation, VAT validation, and more. All products are accessible under a single account with a unified API key. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: Does Abstract API support Nigerian phone numbers (+234)?** A: Yes. Nigeria is included in the 190+ country coverage with carrier and line type identification. **Q: Is there a free tier?** A: A free trial is available on signup for initial testing. Sustained production use requires a paid plan starting at $19/month. **Q: Can I use one API key for phone, email, and IP validation?** A: Yes. A single Abstract API account key provides access to all Abstract API products including phone, email, IP, and VAT validation.
NumlookupAPI Phone Validation
NumlookupAPI is a phone number lookup and validation API providing real-time carrier identification, line type detection, geographic location data, and number format normalization for global phone numbers including Nigerian (+234) numbers. Operated by EverAPI (everapihq), the platform offers a developer-friendly integration path with a free trial requiring no credit card, paid plans from $9.99/month, and a 99.99% uptime SLA on all paid tiers. The API is designed for businesses that need to validate phone numbers at point of entry, enrich CRM contact data, or screen registrations for invalid or suspicious numbers — without the complexity of a full communications platform. ## What the API Does A single NumlookupAPI call accepts a phone number and returns: - **Validity**: Whether the number is a valid, recognized phone number. - **Number (E.164)**: The number in international E.164 format. - **Carrier**: The mobile network operator (e.g., MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, 9mobile). - **Line type**: Mobile, landline, VoIP, or unknown. - **Location**: Country and sub-national region associated with the number prefix. - **Country code**: ISO 2-letter country code (NG for Nigerian numbers). The API integrates with CRM systems, marketing platforms, and custom applications for automated phone number quality management. ## How Developers Use It GET request to the NumlookupAPI endpoint with the phone number and API key. The response is a JSON object with all available metadata. SDKs and client libraries are available for popular languages through the GitHub repository (everapihq/numlookupapi). Integration is straightforward and can be completed in under an hour. ## Pricing & Fees - **Free trial**: Available with no credit card required for initial testing. - **Paid plans**: Start at $9.99/month providing 7,000 API requests per month. - **Custom plans**: Available for businesses requiring more than 300,000 requests per month. - All paid plans include unlimited API connections (no concurrent request limit) and the 99.99% uptime guarantee. ## Authentication API key authentication. The key is passed as a parameter in the API request. Keys are issued immediately after registration. ## Rate Limits Rate limits are based on monthly request quotas per plan tier. Paid plans come with unlimited concurrent API connections — requests are processed without queuing. Monthly quotas reset each billing cycle. ## Compliance NumlookupAPI processes phone numbers for validation and lookup purposes. Data handling policies are consistent with standard API service agreements. For Nigerian deployments, the carrier and format data returned supports phone number verification as part of broader user onboarding flows. ## Challenges & Gotchas for Nigerian Developers 1. **No SIM Swap detection**: NumlookupAPI provides carrier and line type data but does not offer SIM Swap detection for fraud prevention. Use Twilio Lookup for SIM Swap signals. 2. **Carrier accuracy with MNP**: Nigerian mobile number portability can cause carrier misidentification after a user switches networks. The API reflects original carrier assignment. 3. **7,000 requests at $9.99**: This is a reasonable starting volume but will be exhausted quickly for apps with active daily registrations. Plan your tier based on expected daily validation volume. 4. **USD billing**: NumlookupAPI charges in USD. Nigerian developers need a USD-capable payment method. 5. **Limited documentation depth**: As a smaller API provider, documentation and community support resources are more limited than Twilio or Abstract API. ## Company Background NumlookupAPI is operated by EverAPI (everapihq), a developer-focused API company providing a portfolio of data enrichment and validation APIs. The platform is available as an open-source client library on GitHub and through the Rapid API marketplace in addition to the main website. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: Does NumlookupAPI support Nigerian phone numbers?** A: Yes. Nigerian numbers (+234) are supported with carrier identification for MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile. **Q: Is a credit card required to try the API?** A: No. A free trial is available without credit card details. **Q: What is the uptime guarantee?** A: Paid plans include a 99.99% uptime SLA over the trailing 12-month period. **Q: How many requests does the entry-level plan include?** A: The $9.99/month plan includes 7,000 API requests per month.
Proweblook Phone Number Checker
Proweblook Phone Checker is a phone number validation API that returns validity status, carrier name, line type, and geographic location data for phone numbers across 195+ countries including Nigeria. Part of Proweblook's API toolkit — which also includes a WhatsApp Number Checker (verifying if a number is registered on WhatsApp), Caller ID lookup, and GeoIP analysis — the Phone Validator API is particularly relevant for Nigerian developers building apps where WhatsApp is the primary communication channel alongside standard SMS. The platform supports both real-time single-number validation and bulk processing for high-volume contact list verification, with real-time processing and asynchronous modes available. ## What the API Does Proweblook's Phone Number Validator accepts a phone number and returns: - **Valid**: Whether the number is valid and formatted correctly. - **Country**: The country associated with the number, including Nigeria (+234). - **Region**: Sub-national region or city where available. - **Carrier**: The mobile network operator name. - **Line type**: Mobile, landline, VoIP, or unknown. Beyond basic phone validation, Proweblook's broader toolkit offers: **WhatsApp Number Checker**: Verifies in real time whether a given phone number is registered and active on WhatsApp, including whether it is a personal or business WhatsApp account. Delivers 99.7% accuracy across 180+ countries. This is especially valuable for Nigerian businesses that use WhatsApp as their primary customer communication channel. **Caller ID API**: Queries an extensive database to return the registered name and country associated with a phone number when a call is placed — useful for customer service, fraud detection, and CRM enrichment. ## How Developers Use It Integration is via REST API with API key authentication. Requests can be processed in real time for individual lookups or asynchronously for bulk batch processing. The proweblook.com API documentation provides endpoint details and code samples. ## Pricing & Fees Proweblook offers a free tier for initial testing. Paid plans are available — visit proweblook.com for current pricing tiers and volume options. Bulk processing is supported for high-volume use cases, and custom plans may be available for enterprise volumes. ## Authentication API key authentication. Keys are obtained after registration at proweblook.com. ## Rate Limits Supports real-time single-number lookups and asynchronous bulk processing for high-volume batches. Contact Proweblook for specific throughput limits per plan. ## Nigeria-Specific Relevance For Nigerian developers, Proweblook's combination of phone validation and WhatsApp number checking addresses a uniquely Nigerian challenge: many Nigerian users use WhatsApp as their primary contact method rather than SMS, and many Nigerian businesses send customer communications via WhatsApp. Proweblook's ability to validate whether a Nigerian number is WhatsApp-registered before routing a message prevents failed delivery to non-WhatsApp numbers and avoids incurring messaging costs on undeliverable contacts. ## Challenges & Gotchas for Nigerian Developers 1. **Pricing transparency**: Proweblook does not publish detailed pricing on its website — visit the site or contact support for current plan details before committing. 2. **No SIM Swap detection**: Standard phone validation without fraud signal enrichment — use Twilio Lookup for SIM Swap detection. 3. **WhatsApp checking compliance**: Automated WhatsApp number verification sits in a gray area with WhatsApp's Terms of Service. Ensure your use case complies with WhatsApp's policies before deploying at scale. 4. **Smaller vendor**: Proweblook is a smaller API provider compared to Twilio or Abstract API. Consider support response time and documentation depth for production-critical integrations. ## Company Background Proweblook is an API toolkit provider offering phone validation, WhatsApp checking, Caller ID, GeoIP, and 200+ AI tools on a single platform. The company focuses on practical developer tools for communication and contact verification, with particular emphasis on WhatsApp-related verification capabilities. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: Does Proweblook support Nigerian phone numbers?** A: Yes. Nigeria is included in Proweblook's 195+ country coverage. **Q: Can I check if a Nigerian number is on WhatsApp?** A: Yes. Proweblook's WhatsApp Number Checker verifies WhatsApp registration status with 99.7% accuracy across 180+ countries including Nigeria. **Q: Does Proweblook support bulk validation?** A: Yes. Bulk processing is supported for validating large lists of phone numbers asynchronously. **Q: Is there a free tier?** A: Yes. A free tier is available for initial testing and development.
Numverify
Numverify is a REST JSON API for international phone number validation and lookup covering 232 countries and territories including Nigeria. Operated by APILayer (apilayer.com), the API provides phone number validity checking, carrier identification, line type classification, and geographic location data in a single lightweight call. With a free tier of 100 monthly requests and paid plans from $9.99/month, Numverify suits developers at all scales needing affordable phone validation without a full communications platform. ## What the API Does Numverify accepts a phone number and returns a JSON object with: validity status, E.164 international format, local format, country prefix (+234 for Nigeria), country code (NG), country name, sub-national location, carrier name (MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, 9mobile), and line type (mobile, landline, or special). All fields are returned in a single API call with no additional round trips. ## How Developers Use It A simple GET request with no SDK required: `GET http://apilayer.net/api/validate?access_key=YOUR_KEY&number=2348012345678&country_code=NG`. The access_key is passed as a query parameter. HTTPS requires a paid plan — the free tier is HTTP-only. Response is a JSON object with all available metadata returned immediately. ## Pricing & Fees Free plan: 100 requests/month, no credit card. Paid plans start at $9.99/month with higher monthly request limits. Annual billing saves up to 15%. All paid plans include 256-bit HTTPS encryption. ## Authentication API access key passed as a URL query parameter (`access_key=YOUR_KEY`). Keys are issued immediately after account registration at numverify.com. ## Rate Limits Free: 100 requests/month. Paid plans provide higher monthly limits based on the tier purchased. Requests above the monthly quota return an error response. ## Compliance Operated by APILayer under GDPR-compliant data handling. Phone numbers submitted are not stored beyond request processing time. For Nigerian deployments, carrier-level data supports phone number verification as part of KYC flows, compatible with CBN identity confirmation requirements. ## Challenges & Gotchas for Nigerian Developers 1. **HTTPS on paid plans only**: Free tier is HTTP-only — never use it in production with real user data. Upgrade before going live. 2. **No SIM Swap detection**: Numverify validates number metadata but cannot detect recent SIM changes — use Twilio Lookup for SIM Swap signals. 3. **Number portability gap**: Due to mobile number portability (MNP) in Nigeria, a number may have migrated to a different carrier than Numverify reports — the API reflects the original carrier assignment. 4. **100/month is minimal**: Any real app will exhaust the free quota quickly. Budget a paid plan for production use. 5. **No bulk endpoint**: One number per request — build batching logic on your own side for bulk validation. ## Company Background Numverify is a product of APILayer, a Vienna-based API marketplace founded in 2012. APILayer also operates Fixer (forex rates), Mailboxlayer (email validation), and several other developer-focused data APIs. The Numverify API is also available as an open-source library on GitHub (apilayer/numverify-API) for self-hosted deployments. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: Does Numverify support Nigerian numbers (+234)?** A: Yes. Nigeria is included in the 232-country coverage with carrier identification for MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile. **Q: Is HTTPS available on the free plan?** A: No. Upgrade to a paid plan before using in production. **Q: What is the difference between Numverify and Twilio Lookup?** A: Twilio Lookup charges per query ($0.005) with no subscription and adds SIM Swap detection. Numverify uses monthly subscription tiers without per-query charges, making it cheaper at consistent high volumes. Numverify is simpler to integrate but lacks real-time fraud signals. **Q: Can I validate in bulk?** A: No bulk endpoint — validate one number per request and parallelize on your side.