Does it account for Daylight Saving Time?

Yes, our converter uses the IANA timezone database, which includes all current DST rules for every timezone in the world.

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks. All timezones are defined as offsets from UTC.

Can I compare multiple timezones at once?

Yes, you can add multiple cities or timezones and see the equivalent times side by side.

How many timezones are there in the world?

There are 38 distinct UTC offsets in use, ranging from UTC-12 to UTC+14. This includes half-hour (UTC+5:30 India, UTC+9:30 Australia) and 45-minute offsets (UTC+5:45 Nepal, UTC+8:45 Australia).

What is the International Date Line?

The International Date Line (IDL) runs roughly along the 180° meridian in the Pacific Ocean. When you cross it westward, you gain a day; crossing eastward, you lose a day.

Why do some timezones have 30 or 45 minute offsets?

Countries chose offsets that best matched their solar noon. India uses UTC+5:30 and Nepal uses UTC+5:45 because standard hourly offsets didn't align well with their geography.

Which country has the most timezones?

France has the most (12 timezones) due to overseas territories. Russia spans 11 timezones. The US has 6 (including Hawaii and Alaska).

Lagos to CEST

+1h

Lagos

WATSOURCE

Nigeria · UTC+01:00

HH12

MM00

12:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

CEST

UTC+02:00☀ DST active

HH01

MM00

13:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Quick Reference

Time Conversion Table

Lagos

CEST

12:00 AM

1:00 AM

2:00 AM

3:00 AM

4:00 AM

5:00 AM

6:00 AM

7:00 AM

8:00 AM

9:00 AM

10:00 AM

11:00 AM

12:00 PM

1:00 PM

2:00 PM

3:00 PM

4:00 PM

5:00 PM

6:00 PM

7:00 PM

8:00 PM

9:00 PM

10:00 PM

11:00 PM

Green rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)

WAT and CEST on the World Map

The map below highlights the WAT (West Africa Time) and CEST (Central European Summer Time) timezone regions across the globe.

WAT Zone

→

CEST Zone

Explore all world timezones interactively →

WAT – West Africa Time

UTC+01:00

West Africa Time (WAT) is the time zone for West and Central Africa, 1 hour ahead of UTC.

Countries in WAT

NigeriaCameroonChadCongoAngolaNigerGabonEquatorial Guinea

Major Cities in WAT

LagosAbujaDoualaYaoundéLuandaKinshasaBrazzaville

Key Facts about WAT

•Lagos, Nigeria is the most populous city in Africa.
•WAT is the same offset as CET (UTC+01:00).
•Nigeria does not observe daylight saving time.

Daylight Saving:No – UTC+01:00 year-round

Learn more about WAT on Wikipedia

CEST – Central European Summer Time

UTC+02:00

Central European Summer Time (CEST) is the daylight saving time in Central Europe, 2 hours ahead of UTC.

Countries in CEST

GermanyFranceItalySpainNetherlandsBelgiumAustriaSwitzerlandPolandSwedenNorway

Major Cities in CEST

ParisBerlinRomeMadridAmsterdamViennaStockholm

Key Facts about CEST

•CEST runs from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October.
•The EU has voted to abolish clock changes but implementation has been delayed.
•CEST shares the same offset as EET (UTC+02:00).

Daylight Saving:Yes – switches to CET

Learn more about CEST on Wikipedia

About Lagos

Wikipedia

Lagos operates on West Africa Time (WAT), UTC+1. As Africa's largest city and Nigeria's economic hub, Lagos is the center of African fintech innovation.

Population:15.4 million

Metro:21.3 million

Business Hours:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM WAT

Currency:NGN (₦)

Stock Exchange:NGX (Nigerian Exchange)

Key Landmarks

Nike Art GalleryLekki Conservation CentreNational MuseumTarkwa Bay BeachFreedom Park

Did You Know?

Lagos is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world and Africa's largest city.

Learn more about WAT timezone →

Comparing Time Zones: Lagos and CEST

Lagos runs on West Africa Time (WAT) at UTC+01:00. CEST runs on Central European Summer Time (CEST) at UTC+02:00. That puts Lagos 1 hour ahead of CEST — a difference of +1h at the current offsets.

In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Lagos it is 10:00 AM in CEST. Midnight in Lagos is 1:00 AM in CEST. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.

Lagos to CEST time conversion table

Lagos (WAT)	CEST (CEST)	Day
12:00 AM	1:00 AM	same day
6:00 AM	7:00 AM	same day
7:00 AM	8:00 AM	same day
8:00 AM	9:00 AM	same day
9:00 AM	10:00 AM	same day
12:00 PM	1:00 PM	same day
3:00 PM	4:00 PM	same day
5:00 PM	6:00 PM	same day
6:00 PM	7:00 PM	same day
9:00 PM	10:00 PM	same day

Why people convert Lagos to CEST time

Scheduling a call from Lagos to CEST: a 10:00 AM start in Lagos lands at 11:00 AM in CEST, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
Finding shared working hours: both Lagos and CEST are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM WAT time (10:00 AM–5:00 PM CEST). That is roughly 7 hours of usable overlap.
Coordinating a Lagos-based team with CEST contacts: quoting times in the other side's local clock — not your own — removes the single biggest source of missed meetings.

Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM WAT" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a +1h gap is not.
Block 9:00 AM–4:00 PM WAT as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from Lagos and need CEST colleagues present.

About WAT (West Africa Time)

West Africa Time (WAT) is used across much of West and Central Africa, including Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa. WAT does not observe daylight saving time and shares the same offset as Central European Time (CET).

About CEST (Central European Summer Time)

Central European Summer Time (CEST) is observed from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October across most of Europe. During CEST, clocks are 2 hours ahead of UTC. The EU has debated abolishing seasonal clock changes since 2019.

Best time to call between Lagos and CEST

Both Lagos and CEST sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 9:00 AM–4:00 PM WAT, which is 10:00 AM–5:00 PM CEST. That gives roughly 7 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.

Business hours overlap

Lagos and CEST share 7 hours of working-hours overlap (9:00 AM–4:00 PM WAT), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.

Lagos is 1 hour ahead of CEST (WAT UTC+01:00 → CEST UTC+02:00). The shared working window is 9:00 AM–4:00 PM WAT. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.

🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info

Lagos

Does not observe DST

CEST

☀ Currently in DST

Standard: UTC+01:00 · DST: UTC+02:00

Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 2026

Learn More About Time

Dive deeper into the fascinating world of timekeeping, time zones, and how they shape our global society:

⏳

History of Timekeeping

From sundials to atomic clocks - 5000 years of measuring time

🌍

How Time Zones Work

UTC, offsets, and why zones don't follow straight lines

☀️

Daylight Saving Time

DST dates, which countries observe it, and the ongoing debate

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between Lagos and CEST?

Lagos (WAT, UTC+01:00) is 1 hour ahead of CEST (CEST, UTC+02:00). The gap is currently +1h.

How do I convert Lagos time to CEST time?

Add +1h to Lagos local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Lagos is 10:00 AM in CEST.

What time is it in CEST right now?

CEST uses CEST at UTC+02:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the +1h offset from Lagos.

What is the best time to call CEST from Lagos?

Call between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM WAT — that maps to 10:00 AM–5:00 PM CEST and keeps both parties inside the working day.

Which is ahead, Lagos or CEST?

Lagos is 1 hour ahead of CEST. When it is 12:00 PM in Lagos it is 1:00 PM in CEST.

Do Lagos and CEST use different time zones?

Lagos (Nigeria) uses WAT at UTC+01:00, while CEST uses CEST at UTC+02:00. The IANA identifiers are Africa/Lagos and Europe/Paris.

Does daylight saving time affect the Lagos–CEST difference?

Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the +1h offset between Lagos and CEST is fixed all year.

Which other cities share Lagos's time zone?

WAT also covers Lagos, Abuja, Douala, Yaoundé, Luanda, Kinshasa, Brazzaville.

Which countries use WAT, Lagos's zone?

WAT is used in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Angola, Niger, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea.

Is there a day difference between Lagos and CEST?

Not normally. The +1h gap only pushes the date over for late-evening times.

What is the time difference between Lagos and CEST?

CEST is +1h from Lagos.

What timezone is Lagos in?

Lagos operates on West Africa Time (WAT), UTC+1. As Africa's largest city and Nigeria's economic hub, Lagos is the center of African fintech innovation.