diff --git a/api/blueprints/common/otp/timed_otp.py b/api/blueprints/common/otp/timed_otp.py
index 98146f9..05a375f 100644
--- a/api/blueprints/common/otp/timed_otp.py
+++ b/api/blueprints/common/otp/timed_otp.py
@@ -357,8 +357,9 @@ async def verify_otp(
         pattern = r"[^\d]",
         substitute_text = ""
     )
-    if not phone_no.startswith("254"): phone_no = "254" + phone_no
-    phone_no = "+" + phone_no
+    if phone_no.startswith("254"): phone_no = phone_no[3:]
+    if phone_no.startswith("0"): phone_no = phone_no[1:]
+    phone_no = "+254" + phone_no
     print("CLEANED PHONE NO.:", phone_no)
 
     # hit Omkar's API: