Libya eSIM

Staying connected in Libya

The easiest way to get online in Libya is to install a travel eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land in Tripoli or Benghazi. AirOva sells Libya plans from $11.49, all with a fixed amount of data. They are data only: there are no unlimited plans, no call minutes or SMS and no local number. Libya plans run on Madar; each plan card names its network and whether it is listed as 4G or 5G.

Which Libya plan to choose

Every Libya plan is a GB plan, so choose by how much data you will use. Messaging, email and maps take little; video calls, streaming and cloud photo backup take the most, so keep those for Wi-Fi where you can. Not sure which size fits? See how much data you need.

Madar, Libyana and coverage

Libya has two main mobile operators, Libyana and Al-Madar Al-Jadeed, and both are state-owned. Libyana is the larger, with a market share above 55%, while Al-Madar holds about 44%; our plans run on Madar. Mobile coverage reaches about 90% of the population and is concentrated in the urban areas along the coast, but it covers less than 20% of the country's land area, so most of the interior and the desert lie outside coverage.

Arriving at Mitiga or Benina

Tripoli is served by Mitiga International Airport (MJI), about 8 km east of the city centre, and Benghazi by Benina International Airport (BEN), 19 km east of the city. Install the eSIM over Wi-Fi at home before you fly. After landing, turn off airplane mode, switch the eSIM line on, choose it for mobile data and enable Data Roaming for that line; the data is prepaid, so roaming adds no charge. Keep roaming off on your home SIM.

Driving inland and in the south

Because coverage follows the coastal cities, expect gaps once you leave them. Operators have been working together to extend LTE coverage in the south, but long drives inland can still mean long stretches without data, so download offline maps of your route and save addresses, contacts and bookings before you set off.

Tip: set everything up on Wi-Fi at home: install the eSIM, download offline maps of Tripoli, Benghazi and any route inland, and save e-tickets to your phone. Keep your home SIM in for bank codes with its roaming off, and carry a power bank on long drives.