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).

WAT to Nairobi

+2h

WAT

WATSOURCE

UTC+01:00

HH12

MM00

12:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Nairobi

EAT

Kenya · UTC+03:00

HH02

MM00

14:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Quick Reference

Time Conversion Table

WAT

Nairobi

12:00 AM

2:00 AM

4:00 AM

6:00 AM

8:00 AM

10:00 AM

12:00 PM

2:00 PM

4:00 PM

6:00 PM

8:00 PM

10:00 PM

12:00 AM+1

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

WAT and EAT on the World Map

The map below highlights the WAT (West Africa Time) and EAT (East Africa Time) timezone regions across the globe.

WAT Zone

→

EAT 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

EAT – East Africa Time

UTC+03:00

East Africa Time (EAT) is the time zone for East Africa, 3 hours ahead of UTC.

Countries in EAT

KenyaEthiopiaTanzaniaUgandaSomaliaMadagascarEritreaDjibouti

Major Cities in EAT

NairobiAddis AbabaDar es SalaamKampalaMogadishuAntananarivo

Key Facts about EAT

•Nairobi is a major tech hub in Africa, often called 'Silicon Savannah'.
•Ethiopia uses its own calendar, which is 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar.
•EAT is the same offset as MSK (Moscow Time).

Daylight Saving:No – UTC+03:00 year-round

Learn more about EAT on Wikipedia

About Nairobi

Wikipedia

Nairobi operates on East Africa Time (EAT), UTC+3. As the tech hub of Africa (Silicon Savannah), Nairobi leads African fintech and mobile innovation.

Population:4.4 million

Metro:6.5 million

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

Currency:KES (KSh)

Stock Exchange:NSE (Nairobi Securities Exchange)

Key Landmarks

Nairobi National ParkGiraffe CentreDavid Sheldrick Wildlife TrustKenya National MuseumUhuru Gardens

Did You Know?

Nairobi National Park is the only national park within a capital city, with lions visible against the skyline.

Learn more about EAT timezone →

Understanding the +2h Gap: WAT vs Nairobi

WAT runs on West Africa Time (WAT) at UTC+01:00. Nairobi runs on East Africa Time (EAT) at UTC+03:00. That puts WAT 2 hours ahead of Nairobi — a difference of +2h at the current offsets.

In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in WAT it is 11:00 AM in Nairobi. Midnight in WAT is 2:00 AM in Nairobi. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.

WAT to Nairobi time conversion table

WAT (WAT)	Nairobi (EAT)	Day
12:00 AM	2:00 AM	same day
6:00 AM	8:00 AM	same day
7:00 AM	9:00 AM	same day
8:00 AM	10:00 AM	same day
9:00 AM	11:00 AM	same day
12:00 PM	2:00 PM	same day
3:00 PM	5:00 PM	same day
5:00 PM	7:00 PM	same day
6:00 PM	8:00 PM	same day
9:00 PM	11:00 PM	same day

Why people convert WAT to Nairobi time

Scheduling a call from WAT to Nairobi: a 10:00 AM start in WAT lands at 12:00 PM in Nairobi, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
Finding shared working hours: both WAT and Nairobi are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM WAT time (11:00 AM–5:00 PM EAT). That is roughly 6 hours of usable overlap.
Coordinating a WAT-based team with Nairobi 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 +2h gap is not.
Block 9:00 AM–3:00 PM WAT as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from WAT and need Nairobi 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 EAT (East Africa Time)

East Africa Time (EAT) is used in the countries of East Africa including Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and others. EAT does not observe daylight saving time and shares the same offset as Moscow Standard Time (MSK).

Best time to call between WAT and Nairobi

Both WAT and Nairobi sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 9:00 AM–3:00 PM WAT, which is 11:00 AM–5:00 PM EAT. That gives roughly 6 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.

Business hours overlap

WAT and Nairobi share 6 hours of working-hours overlap (9:00 AM–3:00 PM WAT), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.

WAT is 2 hours ahead of Nairobi (WAT UTC+01:00 → EAT UTC+03:00). The shared working window is 9:00 AM–3:00 PM WAT. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.

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 WAT and Nairobi?

WAT (WAT, UTC+01:00) is 2 hours ahead of Nairobi (EAT, UTC+03:00). The gap is currently +2h.

How do I convert WAT time to Nairobi time?

Add +2h to WAT local time. For example, 9:00 AM in WAT is 11:00 AM in Nairobi.

What time is it in Nairobi right now?

Nairobi uses EAT at UTC+03:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the +2h offset from WAT.

What is the best time to call Nairobi from WAT?

Call between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM WAT — that maps to 11:00 AM–5:00 PM EAT and keeps both parties inside the working day.

Which is ahead, WAT or Nairobi?

WAT is 2 hours ahead of Nairobi. When it is 12:00 PM in WAT it is 2:00 PM in Nairobi.

Do WAT and Nairobi use different time zones?

WAT uses WAT at UTC+01:00, while Nairobi (Kenya) uses EAT at UTC+03:00. The IANA identifiers are Africa/Lagos and Africa/Nairobi.

Does daylight saving time affect the WAT–Nairobi difference?

Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the +2h offset between WAT and Nairobi is fixed all year.

Which other cities share WAT's time zone?

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

Which countries use WAT, WAT's zone?

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

Is there a day difference between WAT and Nairobi?

Not normally. The +2h gap only pushes the date over for late-evening times.

What is the time difference between WAT and Nairobi?

Nairobi is +2h from WAT.

What timezone is WAT in?

WAT operates on its local timezone.

What timezone is Nairobi in?

Nairobi operates on East Africa Time (EAT), UTC+3. As the tech hub of Africa (Silicon Savannah), Nairobi leads African fintech and mobile innovation.

What are the business hours in Nairobi?

Standard business hours in Nairobi are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM EAT.

Which countries use WAT (West Africa Time)?

WAT is used in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Angola, Niger, and 2 more countries.

Does WAT observe daylight saving time?

No, WAT does not observe daylight saving time and remains at UTC+01:00 year-round.

What are some interesting facts about WAT?

Lagos, Nigeria is the most populous city in Africa. WAT is the same offset as CET (UTC+01:00).

Which cities are in the EAT timezone?

Major cities in the EAT timezone include Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Mogadishu, Antananarivo.

What is the UTC offset for EAT?

East Africa Time (EAT) is at UTC+03:00.

What should I know about the EAT timezone?

Nairobi is a major tech hub in Africa, often called 'Silicon Savannah'. Ethiopia uses its own calendar, which is 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar.