It is quite easy to buy a prepaid SIM card in Libya, even as a traveler or tourist, especially if you are staying around the coast, like Tripoli and Benghazi. There are two operators to choose from, which are Libyana and Almadar Aljadid, and both operators have many stores in Northern Libya. Head to one of their stores with your passport and a photocopy of your passport, fill in some registration details, and you are good to go.
It is well known that international roaming can be expensive in many cases, especially if you do not or cannot get an attractive roaming bundle. In most cases, getting a local SIM card of the destination you are visiting is much cheaper than roaming with your provider, and you will enjoy faster speeds too.
The telecom situation in Libya is somewhat different from other nations in North African nations. There are some things to be aware of, such as SIM card prices, the coverage throughout the country, what packages the Libyan operators offer.
In this article, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Libya. Let’s do this.
Original publication: 1st of July 2020. Last updated: 17th of February 2023.
Table of Contents
Mobile Operators, Networks, and Frequencies in Libya
Libya has two mobile telecom operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
- Libyana
- Almadar Aljadid (Al Madar)
Both operators have 2G, 3G, and 4G/LTE networks.
The following frequencies are used by the Libyan operators:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 1800 MHz (Band 3)
Best SIM Card in Libya
If you want to buy a SIM card in Libya, then both Libyana and Almadar Aljadid are good options. They both have equally good coverage in populated areas. The main differences between the two operators are the type of packages they offer.
SIM Card Registration Regulations in Libya
Just like all countries in North Africa, and Africa in general, you have to register your passport details to buy a SIM card in Libya. You also need to bring a photocopy of a passport with you. Be aware that foreigners, including tourists and travelers, can have one SIM card per operator on their name (a total of two Libyan SIM cards). Libyan nationals can have a total of five SIM cards per operator on their name (a total of ten Libyan SIM cards).
- Find out which countries have SIM card registration regulations and what is required from you (lookup tool)
The State of the Telecom Market in Libya
(This section is not potent to learn how to get a SIM card in Libya, and the prices for the packages offered by the local operators. However, it does give you background information on how the Libyan telecom market is, and it explains why things are how they are. If you are simply interested in getting a SIM card in Libya, click here to jump to the first operator.)
Libya is next to the Mediterranean Sea, which means the country is connected to several international submarine cables (four) and a domestic one. In general, landlocked countries in Africa have slow internet speeds because those countries have to rely on neighboring countries for fiber bandwidth. This is made worse if the neighboring country has a subpar domestic cable infrastructure.
Libya is, at the time of writing (2020), still in a civil war, and vast areas of the country are “no-go” zones, especially in Southern Libya. In fact, the chairman of Almadar Aljadid commented back in October 2018 that “[…] expansion to the south of the country was unlikely any time soon as it was too dangerous to send engineers as Libya remains unstable” after it launched 4G/LTE services for the first time.
Expansion to the south of the country is unlikely any time soon as it is too dangerous to send engineers as Libya remains unstable.
Abdulkhaliq Ashour, Chairman of Almadar Aljadid (October 2018)
Both Libyana and Almadar Aljadid have good coverage in Northern Libya and also in towns close to the highways throughout Libya. Anywhere further out and you will not have any coverage with either of the operators, which are, as to be expected, the areas that are unstable.
According to the Speedtest Global Index, the average mobile download speed in Libya is 11 Mbps, while the upload speed is 5 Mbps (May 2020), which places Libya on place 131 out of 138 countries. That makes Libya as fast as neighboring country Algeria (132) and faster than Sudan (136). However, mobile speeds in Libya are slower than Egypt (99) and Tunisia (69), which are also neighboring countries.
Mobile data in Libya is expensive for African standards. The average cost for 1 GB of data in Africa is 6.45 USD, according to a study done by the Alliance 4 Affordable Internet (A4AI). In Libya, you will, on average, pay 11.37 USD/GB, which is close to double the African average. When solely looking at North Africa, Libya tops the list too. A4AI found that the average cost of 1 GB of data in North Africa is 4.82 GB.
However, when looking at the average monthly income of Libyan nationals, a Libyan would spend 2.16% of their monthly income on 1 GB of data, which is more than the North African average (1.44%) but much less than the African average (7.12%). From a regional point of view, mobile data in Libya is relatively affordable.
Right now, there is a duopoly in the Libyan telecom market with Libyana and Almadar Aljadid, which are both state-owned companies. There have been talks to sell both operators since 2007, but that has not happened. In 2013, there were talks to introduce a third, private, operator to the country. However, that was just before the Libyan civil war started. Since then, no foreign operator has expressed interest in entering the Libyan market.
Currency in Libya
Libya uses the Libyan Dinar with the symbol LYD (which will be used throughout this article). Prices in Libya are listed in LYD or Dinars. For reference, below are some exchange rates between LYD and USD (US Dollars – Rounded):
- 1 LYD = 0.20 USD
- 10 LYD = 2.05 USD
- 100 LYD = 20.70 USD
- 1000 LYD = 207.05 USD
For up-to-date LYD:USD exchange rates, search LYD to USD on Google, or replace USD with the currency you use.
If your credit/debit card charges you foreign exchange fees, get yourself a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card.
Their fees are MUCH lower than banks and credit card companies charge you (and Wise is transparent about their fees, unlike banks).
I have saved literal THOUSANDS of Australian Dollars and Euros, my main currencies, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards.
Libyan Prepaid SIM Cards
Below, I will guide you through Libyana and Almadar Aljadid and go through:
- Background information
- SIM card types, prices, and availability
- Recharge / top-up information
- Combo plans, data plans, and special packs (such as social media packs)
With that being said, let’s see what Libyana and Almadar Aljadid have to offer to us.
Libyana
Libyana is the largest operator in Libya. The operator is owned by the Libyan government. Libyana has good coverage around populated areas, which is Tripoli, around the coast, and towns near the highways. 4G/LTE is available around cities and towns around the coast and towns in central Libya.
SIM Card Price – Libyana
You can get a Libyana SIM card for 5 LYD in Libyana Business Centers. Ask for their 4G SIM card if you want to use Libyana’s 4G/LTE network. Make sure to bring your passport with you and a photocopy of your passport when buying a Libyana SIM card.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Topping-Up Your Libyana Prepaid SIM Card
You can recharge your Libyana SIM card in three ways with:
Let’s go through each method.
Topping Up with a Libyana Voucher Card
Libyana voucher cards are sold in denominations of 5 LYD, 10 LYD, and 30 LYD throughout Libya. To top-up, call 121, select option 1, then option 1, followed by entering the 13-digit voucher number. You can also top-up by calling 120 and entering the voucher code. Finally, one can dial *121# and follow the steps to redeem a voucher card.
A voucher card extends the validity of your SIM card. The following recharge cards have the following validities:
| Voucher Card Recharge Amount | Validity |
|---|---|
| LYD 5 | 30 Days |
| LYD 10 | 70 Days |
| LYD 30 | 180 Days |
Topping Up with the Libyana E-Top Up Service
It is also possible to take advantage of Libyana’s E-Top Up Service. All Libyana Business Centers offer the E-Top Up Service. You get more choice in recharge amounts with an e-top up compared to a recharge card, and you can extend your SIM card validity up to a year.
To use the E-Top Up Service, you have to go to a Libyana Business Center, inform the agent about the credit value you want and give them your phone number, pay the agent, and you will receive a confirmation SMS when your SIM card has been topped up successfully.
The following E Top-Up recharge options are available:
| E-Top Up Recharge Amount | Validity |
|---|---|
| 5 LYD | 30 Days |
| 10 LYD | 70 Days |
| 30 LYD | 180 Days |
| 50 LYD | 280 Days |
| 100 LYD | 365 Days |
| 200 LYD | 365 Days |
Topping Up with The Libyana E-Voucher Service
Finally, you can top-up with the e-voucher service, which are electronic vouchers sold by third-party establishments (Tadawel, Tfani, Masart, Aman Bank & Bank of Commerce and Development) and not in Libyana Business Centers.
When going to the aforementioned establishments, you ask the salesperson for an e-voucher in the denomination of choice, pay the salesperson, and you will receive a paper slip with a top-up code or you will get the code by SMS. Then you can redeem the voucher code by calling 121, selecting option 1, then option 1, followed by entering the voucher code.
The following E-Voucher recharge options are available:
| E-Voucher Recharge Amount | Validity |
|---|---|
| 3 LYD | 10 days |
| 5 LYD | 30 Days |
| 10 LYD | 70 Days |
| 30 LYD | 180 Days |
| 200 LYD | 365 Days |
Libyana Internet Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers
Libyana offers several types of data-only packages, which are:
- Libyana Internet (data-only plans)
- 4G Packages (4G data-only plans)
- Off-Peak (“nighttime” data-only plans)
You may have to text 1 to 1414 to retrieve Libyana’s internet settings. You can check your data balance by dialing *222#.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Libyana Internet
The Internet packages are data-only packages sold in weekly, half-monthly, and monthly variants. Do note that speed restrictions apply depending on the validity of the internet package. Below are all the Libyana packages:
| Price | Data | Download Speed | Validity | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 LYD | 50 MB | Max. 512 Kbps | 7 days | *777*1# |
| 3 LYD | 200 MB | Max. 512 Kbps | 7 days | *777*3# |
| 4 LYD | 400 MB | Max. 512 Kbps | 7 days | *777*4# |
| 8 LYD | 1000 MB | Max. 2 Mbps | 15 days | *777*8# |
| 12 LYD | 2000 MB | Max. 2 Mbps | 15 days | *777*12# |
| 16 LYD | 3000 MB | Max. 2 Mbps | 15 days | *777*16# |
| 25 LYD | 5 GB | Max. 8 Mbps | 30 days | *777*25# |
Libyana 4G Packages
The 4G packages are packages that allow you to take full advantage of Libyana’s 4G/LTE network without speed restrictions. You need to have a 4G enabled SIM card to purchase any of the 4G packages. Text 4 to 130 to see if your SIM card supports Libyana’s 4G/LTE service. The following two 4G packages are available:
| Price | Data | Validity | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 LYD | 7 GB | 30 days | *777*35# |
| 50 LYD | 30 GB | 30 days | *777*50# |
Libyana Off-Peak Packages
The Off-Peak Packages are packages that can be used between 3:00-10:00 (3 AM-10 AM). The following six off-peak packages are available, which can be activated by dialing *555#:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 LYD | 2 GB | 1 day |
| 2 LYD | 5 GB | 1 day |
| 10 LYD | 30 GB | 7 days |
| 25 LYD | 100 GB | 7 days |
| 40 LYD | 200 GB | 30 days |
| 50 LYD | 500 GB | 30 days |
Libyana APN Settings
In most cases, your phone will retrieve the correct APN settings automatically. If you need to enter it manually, then you need the following details (do not add anything not mentioned below):
- Name: Libyana
- APN: Libyanawap
Almadar Aljadid (Al Madar)
Almadar Aljadid, which is also known as Al Madar, is Libya’s first operator and now the “smallest” operator. It is a state-owned operator, just like Libyana. Al Madar has good coverage around populated areas, which is Tripoli and towns near highways. 4G/LTE can be found in Tripoli, Benghazi, Misrata Tobruk, Ajdabiya, Zuwaytinah, Brega, and Bishr.
SIM Card Price – Almadar Aljadid
You can get an Almadar Aljadid prepaid SIM card, called Tawasul, for 5 LYD in Almadar Aljadid Service Centers and dealers. Dial 120 and select option 4 to hear your Tawasul phone number (you may have to dial 120 and select option 3 to change the system language from Arabic to English).
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Topping-Up Your Almadar Aljadid Prepaid SIM Card
You can recharge your Almadar Aljadid SIM card in two ways with:
Let’s go through both methods.
Topping Up with an Almadar Aljadid Recharge Card
Al Madar recharge cards are widely available from 3 LYD to 100 LYD. To top-up, dial *112*VoucherCode#. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *112*123456*. It is also possible to redeem a voucher online. Dial *111# to check your Tawasul balance.
You can extend the validity of your SIM card with each top-up. The following recharge amounts have the following validities:
| Recharge Amount | Validity |
|---|---|
| 3 LYD | 15 Days |
| 5 LYD | 35 Days |
| 10 LYD | 75 Days |
| 20 LYD | 120 Days |
| 40 LYD | 240 Days |
| 50 LYD | 365 Days |
| 100 LYD | 365 Days |
Topping Up with An Almadar Aljadid E-voucher
It is also possible to get an Al Madar e-voucher from an authorized agent without the need to scratch cards. E-vouchers are available in denominations of 1 LYD to 200 LYD. To get an e-voucher, head to an authorized dealer, ask for the value amount you need, pay the agent, and the agent will process the top-up. Once the top-up is successful, you will receive a confirmation SMS.
Almadar Aljadid Internet Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers
Almadar Aljadid offers one combo bundle, two data-only bundles, and one social media bundle, which are:
- MIX (combo plan)
- H+ [Mobile High Speed Internet] (data-only plan)
- GPRS (data-only plan)
- Facebook (app-specific social media plan)
You can check your data balance by dialing *111*2# to by texting 1 to 8989. You may have text 1 OR ALL to 8888 to retrieve the Al Madar internet settings.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Almadar Aljadid MIX Bundles
The MIX bundles are combo bundles that come with data, minutes, and SMS. The following three MIX bundles are available, which are all valid for 30 days:
| Price | Data | Minutes | SMS | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 LYD | 0.5 GB | 500 minutes | 100 SMS | 30 days |
| 25 LYD | 1 GB | 700 minutes | 200 SMS | 30 days |
| 40 LYD | 3 GB | 1000 minutes | 400 SMS | 30 days |
You can activate a MIX bundle by following these steps:
- Dial *000#
- Choose option high-speed internet
- Press option Monthly Offers
- Choose MIX
- Select your plan of choice
Almadar Aljadid H+ Internet Bundles
The H+ bundles, also referred to as (internet) Net Bundles, are data-only plans. Do note that, unlike the GPRS bundles, the H+ plans can only be used in Tripoli, Benghazi, Tobruk, Misrata, Zliten, and Ajdabya. The following five H+ bundles are available:
| Price | Data | Validity | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 LYD | 500 MB | 7 days | *000# |
| 8 LYD | 1 GB | 30 days | *000*12# |
| 20 LYD | 3 GB | 30 days | *000# |
| 30 LYD | 5 GB | 30 days | *000# |
| 80 LYD | 10 GB | 30 days | *000*110# |
Almadar Aljadid GPRS Bundles
The GPRS bundles are data-only bundles that can be used throughout Libya, where Almadar Aljadid has coverage. The following 3 GPRS bundles are available:
| Price | Data | Validity | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 LYD | 10 MB | 1 day | Text 1 to 8989 |
| 3 LYD | 40 MB | 7 day | Text 7 to 8989 |
| 10 LYD | 200 MB | 30 day | Text 30 to 8989 |
Almadar Aljadid Facebook Bundles
The Facebook bundles are bundles specifically for Facebook. They come in two variants, which can be activated by dialing *000#:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 5 LYD | 1 GB | 7 days |
| 15 LYD | 3 GB | 30 days |
Almadar Aljadid APN Settings
In most cases, your phone will retrieve the correct APN settings automatically. If you need to enter it manually, then you need the following details (do not add anything not mentioned below):
- Name: Al Madar
- APN: almadar.net
The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Libya
Getting a SIM card from either Libyana or Al Madar would do you well when considering a Libyan SIM card.
Local Prepaid SIM Card in Other African Countries
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