Accra to CAT
+2hAccra
GMTSOURCECAT
CATGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
GMT and CAT on the World Map
The map below highlights the GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and CAT (Central Africa Time) timezone regions across the globe.
GMT – Greenwich Mean Time
UTC+00:00Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is the same as UTC+00:00.
- •GMT is based on the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) passing through Greenwich, London.
- •The Royal Observatory in Greenwich has been the reference point for GMT since 1884.
- •GMT and UTC are often used interchangeably, but UTC is based on atomic clocks.
- •Iceland uses GMT year-round and never observes daylight saving time.
- •The UK switches from GMT to BST (British Summer Time) in late March each year.
CAT – Central Africa Time
UTC+02:00Central Africa Time (CAT, UTC+02:00) covers Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and neighbouring countries.
- •Central Africa Time is fixed at UTC+02:00 with no daylight saving.
- •CAT matches South Africa Standard Time (SAST) all year.
- •It is the same offset as Central European Time in winter.
- •Harare is level with Johannesburg and one hour ahead of Lagos.
Accra vs CAT: Offsets, DST and Best Call Times
Accra runs on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) at UTC+00:00. CAT runs on Central Africa Time (CAT) at UTC+02:00. That puts Accra 2 hours ahead of CAT — a difference of +2h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Accra it is 11:00 AM in CAT. Midnight in Accra is 2:00 AM in CAT. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
Accra to CAT time conversion table
| Accra (GMT) | CAT (CAT) | 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 Accra to CAT time
- Scheduling a call from Accra to CAT: a 10:00 AM start in Accra lands at 12:00 PM in CAT, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both Accra and CAT are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM GMT time (11:00 AM–5:00 PM CAT). That is roughly 6 hours of usable overlap.
- Watching a live event or market open: Accra viewers need 11:00 AM in CAT to catch a 9:00 AM start there, and 10:00 PM if the event is anchored to Accra.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM GMT" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a +2h gap is not.
- Block 9:00 AM–3:00 PM GMT as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from Accra and need CAT colleagues present.
About GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the clock time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, which sits on the Prime Meridian (0° longitude). GMT serves as the reference point from which all other time zones are calculated. The United Kingdom uses GMT during winter months and switches to British Summer Time (BST, UTC+01:00) from late March to late October. Several West African nations use GMT year-round. GMT is often used interchangeably with UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), although technically they are different – UTC is based on atomic clocks while GMT is based on Earth's rotation.
About CAT (Central Africa Time)
Central Africa Time (CAT) is fixed at UTC+02:00 all year across a broad belt of southern and central Africa, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. None of these countries observes daylight saving time, so CAT never shifts. It is the same offset as South Africa Standard Time (SAST) and the winter version of Central European Time, which makes CAT a convenient bridge between African, European and Middle Eastern schedules — Harare is level with Johannesburg all year and one hour ahead of Lagos.
Best time to call between Accra and CAT
Both Accra and CAT sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 9:00 AM–3:00 PM GMT, which is 11:00 AM–5:00 PM CAT. That gives roughly 6 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
Accra and CAT share 6 hours of working-hours overlap (9:00 AM–3:00 PM GMT), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.
Accra is 2 hours ahead of CAT (GMT UTC+00:00 → CAT UTC+02:00). The shared working window is 9:00 AM–3:00 PM GMT. 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:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between Accra and CAT?
Accra (GMT, UTC+00:00) is 2 hours ahead of CAT (CAT, UTC+02:00). The gap is currently +2h.
How do I convert Accra time to CAT time?
Add +2h to Accra local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Accra is 11:00 AM in CAT.
What time is it in CAT right now?
CAT uses CAT at UTC+02:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the +2h offset from Accra.
What is the best time to call CAT from Accra?
Call between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM GMT — that maps to 11:00 AM–5:00 PM CAT and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is ahead, Accra or CAT?
Accra is 2 hours ahead of CAT. When it is 12:00 PM in Accra it is 2:00 PM in CAT.
Do Accra and CAT use different time zones?
Accra (Ghana) uses GMT at UTC+00:00, while CAT uses CAT at UTC+02:00. The IANA identifiers are Africa/Accra and Africa/Harare.
Does daylight saving time affect the Accra–CAT difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the +2h offset between Accra and CAT is fixed all year.
Which other cities share Accra's time zone?
GMT also covers London, Dublin, Lisbon, Accra, Reykjavik, Edinburgh, Casablanca, Dakar and 5 more.
Which countries use GMT, Accra's zone?
GMT is used in United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Portugal (mainland), Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania and 7 more.
Is there a day difference between Accra and CAT?
Not normally. The +2h gap only pushes the date over for late-evening times.
What is the time difference between Accra and CAT?
CAT is +2h from Accra.
What timezone is Accra in?
Accra operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is CAT in?
CAT operates on its local timezone.
Which countries use GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)?
GMT is used in United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Portugal (mainland), Ghana, Senegal, and 9 more countries.
Does GMT observe daylight saving time?
Yes, GMT switches to BST during summer months.
What are some interesting facts about GMT?
GMT is based on the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) passing through Greenwich, London. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich has been the reference point for GMT since 1884.
Which cities are in the CAT timezone?
Major cities in the CAT timezone include Harare, Lusaka, Maputo, Lilongwe, Kigali.
What is the UTC offset for CAT?
Central Africa Time (CAT) is at UTC+02:00.
What should I know about the CAT timezone?
Central Africa Time is fixed at UTC+02:00 with no daylight saving. CAT matches South Africa Standard Time (SAST) all year.
When is it midnight in Accra, what time is it in CAT?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in Accra (GMT), it is +2h later in CAT (CAT).
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