How to port your business number to Maraba

One of the most common questions from businesses evaluating Maraba is: "Do I have to get a new number?" The answer is no — and for most Nigerian businesses, keeping your existing number is the right move. Your MTN, Airtel, Glo, or 9mobile business line can be connected to Maraba in one of two ways: number porting or call forwarding. This guide covers both, explains when to use each, and walks you through the exact steps.

Option 1: Call forwarding (fastest — live within an hour)

Call forwarding routes incoming calls from your existing SIM to your Maraba number. Your original SIM stays with its current network. No paperwork. No NCC process. It works today.

Here is how to set it up:

Call forwarding is the right choice for most SMEs. It keeps your SIM active — you can still make outgoing calls from it — and Maraba answers every incoming call on your behalf. If you choose "forward when unanswered," you or a staff member can still pick up within 5 rings; if nobody answers, Maraba takes the call.

The trade-off: forwarded calls incur the call forwarding rate charged by your carrier, which is typically ₦4–₦8 per minute on top of the caller's normal airtime. For high-volume businesses — more than 500 calls a month — consider Option 2.

Option 2: Full number porting (recommended for high volume)

Full porting transfers your number from its current network to Maraba's telephony infrastructure via Africa's Talking. Your number continues to ring as before. The difference: calls land directly on Maraba without forwarding costs. Callers see your same number. Nothing changes from their side.

Number porting in Nigeria is governed by the NCC's Mobile Number Portability (MNP) framework. The process takes 5–7 business days. Here is what is required:

To initiate a full port, go to your Maraba dashboard under Settings → Phone Numbers → Port a Number. You will upload your documents, confirm your account number with your current carrier, and Maraba handles the NCC submission. You will receive SMS updates at each stage.

During the porting window — typically 48 hours — calls may briefly route to a temporary number we provide. We notify you and your team in advance. Most businesses schedule the port for a low-traffic period, such as a Saturday night.

Option 3: Get a new Maraba virtual number

If you do not have an existing business number — or if you are setting up a dedicated line for Maraba that is separate from your personal number — you can provision a virtual number directly in the Maraba dashboard. This is the fastest option. Under Settings → Phone Numbers → Add Number, you select an available Lagos (01), Abuja (09), or national number and it is active within minutes.

Virtual numbers provisioned through Maraba are 070, 080, 081, 090, or 0700 numbers via Africa's Talking. They support inbound calls, SMS, and WhatsApp — your customers can call or message the same number.

Configuring Maraba on your number

Once your number is connected — whether forwarded, ported, or newly provisioned — you connect it to an Maraba configuration in the dashboard:

What callers experience after porting

From a caller's perspective, nothing changes. They dial the same number they always have. Maraba answers in under two seconds with your configured greeting. If they call outside business hours, they hear your after-hours message. If their query requires a human, Maraba transfers them to the staff member you have configured as the escalation contact.

The only difference they might notice: the call is answered faster and more consistently than before. No missed calls, no voicemail, no ringing out.

Multi-number businesses

If your business operates multiple lines — a general enquiries line, a delivery tracking line, a management line — Maraba handles all of them. Each number can have its own Maraba configuration, its own knowledge base, its own escalation contacts, and its own business hours. On the Pro plan, up to 5 numbers are included. On Enterprise, there is no limit.

A common setup for a Lagos restaurant: one Maraba number for reservation calls (Maraba handles bookings and confirms times), one number for delivery orders (Maraba takes order details and passes them to the kitchen team via WhatsApp). The owner's personal number stays private.

Cost and plans

The Starter plan at ₦20,000 per month includes one phone number and 200 AI-answered calls. Additional calls are ₦0.50 per second of call time, with a ₦25 minimum per call charge. If your business exceeds 200 calls a month — common for restaurants, pharmacies, and courier services — Pro at ₦65,000 per month covers up to 1,000 calls across up to 5 numbers.

There is no charge for porting itself. The documentation process is included as part of setup on any paid plan.