Advertise With Us

Why Doesn’t African Time Change Like UK, US, Europe Where The Clock Changes Twice?

Ever wondered why Daylight Savings doesn’t work in Africa? Here’s why.
Daylight savings in Africa Daylight savings in Africa
Daylight savings in Africa. Credit: Christiansforsocialaction

Do you have friends and family in Europe, the UK, and the US whose times are constantly changing, and have you ever wondered why African time doesn’t change?

Well, they literally just add and subtract their time by themselves and call it daylight saving. They are literally saving daylight.

What’s the Point of Daylight Saving Time (DST)?

The goal of daylight saving time (DST) is to optimize the amount of daylight usage by shifting an hour of daylight from the evening to the morning during the autumn transition and also in the spring. This allows people to have more usable daylight or more nightime as the case may be.

Advertisement

However, it is important to note that no actual daylight is saved; rather, the timing of daylight is adjusted to fit better with human activities.

ALSO READ: Top 10 African Universities in 2026: See Countries that Dominate QS Rankings

Time Zones in Africa

Africa is the second-largest continent, covering a massive six time zones from UTC−01:00 to UTC+04:00.

Currently, only Morocco (year-round except during Ramadan) and Egypt observe daylight saving time, although it was previously practiced in countries such as Ghana and South Africa.

Daylight saving time in Africa
Daylight saving time in Africa. Credit: freepik

ALSO READ: 15 Safest Cities in Africa to Travel to in 2026

Why Africans Don’t Use DST

Even though Africa has six different time zones, it does not use DST. Here’s why

African countries are close to the equator

Approximately 70 countries implement DST, but African countries located near the equator do not participate, as their daylight duration remains relatively constant throughout the year.

This consistency removes the necessity of adjusting clocks since there is minimal fluctuation in light availability.

 The length of day and night is stable

The geographical position of countries influences their need for DST. African countries experience an even balance of daylight and darkness year-round, unlike some countries where there is either extra sunlight or extra darkness.

The fundamental purpose of DST is to transition more daylight from mornings when many people are asleep to evenings when they are more active.

About The Author

Add a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Keep Up to Date with the Most Important News

By pressing the Subscribe button, you confirm that you have read and are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Advertisement