Numbers

Use numerals#

Write numbers as figures, including 1 to 9: "You have 3 pending requests." Figures are faster to scan than words on a small screen. They are also less likely to be mistranslated.

Exception: where a numeral could be misread at the start of a sentence, rewrite the sentence.

Group long numbers#

• Always separate your thousands: 1,500,000.
• Phone numbers in Nigerian reading groups: 0803 123 4567.
• Account numbers in pairs or as the bank presents them: 0123 4567 89.

USSD codes#

Write USSD codes exactly as dialled, in bold or code style, with no spaces: dial *737* or *565*0#. Always say what the code does beside it. For example, 'Dial *123# to view your account balance.'

Related guidance#

• Currency
• Dates and time