Calling Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria or Ghana with Lebara

The straight answer

International minutes do not mean every international number

Bangladesh is included in Lebara's current plan destination list. Pakistan, Nigeria and Ghana are outside that list, so those calls need PAYG credit at the current destination rate.¹⁰

That is the bit worth knowing before choosing a plan. A large or even unlimited international-minute allowance is useful only when the country you call is on the list. The word "international" is doing rather more work than the small print.

If Bangladesh is your main destination, compare plans by the number of included international minutes. If you mostly call the other three countries, compare the PAYG cost of a normal call with the data cost and convenience of an internet call.

Compare Lebara plans through the referral route ↗

The numbers

Current PAYG rates by destination

These are Lebara's standard rates for calls made from the UK. They are the fallback for a country outside the plan list, for PAYG use, or after an included allowance runs out.⁵

The Pakistan checker has a separate Telenor table, so identify the network as well as the country. For every destination, reopen Lebara's checker before a long call. Rates and country lists can change, and a remembered price has an annoying habit of becoming yesterday's price.

Included calls

Bangladesh is the useful exception here

Lebara says its international allowances cover standard mobile and landline calls made from the UK. Current plans show 100, 500 or unlimited international minutes, depending on the plan.⁶

Of these four destinations, only Bangladesh appears in the current included-country list.¹⁰ A plan with 100 international minutes can therefore cover up to 100 minutes of eligible calls to Bangladesh. It does not turn into 100 included minutes to Pakistan, Nigeria or Ghana.

Unlimited international minutes have the same destination boundary. "Unlimited" describes the allowance, not the number of countries. Calls outside the list still need PAYG credit.

Small rate, long call

Per-minute prices need multiplying

A few pence looks harmless until a family call reaches the part where everyone is passed around the room. At the current mobile PAYG rates, 60 minutes works out at £3.00 to Bangladesh, £4.80 to Pakistan, £9.00 to Nigeria and £17.40 to Ghana.¹²³

The Ghana figure uses its current 29p mobile rate.⁴ These are simple rate multiplied by duration examples, not quoted bundles or bill guarantees. The actual cost depends on the live rate and how long the call lasts.

For a five-minute call, PAYG may be perfectly sensible. For a regular hour-long conversation, compare an internet call or a provider with a genuinely included destination. Loyalty is a poor substitute for arithmetic.

Before pressing call

Use the correct country code and number type

The ITU assigns +92 to Pakistan, +880 to Bangladesh, +234 to Nigeria and +233 to Ghana.¹¹ Save the contact in full international format so the same entry works more reliably across ordinary calls and messaging apps.

Then check whether it is a landline or mobile. Pakistan needs one extra glance because Lebara's current checker also presents a separate Telenor rate table. If the number or network is unclear, ask the person receiving the call before settling in for a long chat.

Do not confuse this with roaming. This guide covers calls made from the UK to another country. Using your phone while abroad has different rules, which our Lebara roaming guide explains.

The obvious alternative

An internet call can beat PAYG for long conversations

If both people have stable data or Wi-Fi and use the same calling app, an internet call avoids Lebara's international voice rate. It uses data instead. That often makes most sense for long calls to Ghana or Nigeria, where the current PAYG mobile rate adds up quickly.

Ordinary mobile calls still have advantages. They work without asking someone to install an app, they can reach landlines, and they are useful when the person at the other end has weak data. Keep both routes available rather than turning this into a small religious war between the dialler and WhatsApp.

A candid recommendation

Lebara fits Bangladesh better than the other three

For regular calls to Bangladesh, Lebara is easy to shortlist because the destination is in the current plan list and standard mobile and landline calls can use the included allowance.⁶¹⁰

For Pakistan, Nigeria or Ghana, judge Lebara by the PAYG rate rather than the headline international-minute allowance. The current rates may suit brief calls, especially to Pakistan. For frequent long calls, compare another provider's destination-specific offer or use an internet calling app. Ghana deserves the closest look because its current mobile PAYG rate is 29p per minute.⁴

If Lebara still fits your UK data, coverage and occasional calling, use the referral route and confirm the introductory price at checkout. Then check the destination rate again before calling. Two separate checks, both cheaper than wishful thinking.

Quick answers

Questions about these four destinations