West Africa Time (Lagos)

West Africa Time (WAT) is UTC+1, covering Nigeria and much of West and Central Africa. Nigeria does not observe daylight saving time. Lagos, the largest city in Africa with over 15 million residents (over 21 million in the metro area), is the economic powerhouse of West Africa and the continent's leading tech hub. The Nigerian Stock Exchange (now NGX) in Lagos is Africa's largest by market capitalization and operates on WAT. Nigeria is Africa's largest economy and most populous country with over 220 million people. Lagos has earned the nickname 'Africa's Silicon Valley' due to its thriving startup ecosystem — companies like Flutterwave, Paystack (acquired by Stripe), Andela, and Jumia have achieved global prominence. WAT's UTC+1 offset means Lagos shares the same time as Paris, Berlin, and much of continental Europe (during CET winter), facilitating business connections with Europe, Nigeria's largest trading partner. Abuja, the purpose-built capital, houses government institutions. Nigeria's oil industry, centered in the Niger Delta, is Africa's largest and operates on WAT. The country's young, entrepreneurial population is driving a digital transformation that is reshaping the African tech landscape.