Resources
Sending rules and Sender ID by country
In Africa, every market has its own rules: sender name registration, approval times, sending hours, opt-out registries. Here is what to know before you launch, with a few example markets.
Guidelines by market
An overview of the most requested markets, grouped by region.
| Country | Networks concerned | ID type | Approval time | Promotional traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Africa | ||||
| Benin | MTN (mandatory) | Registered alphanumeric | Often over 20 days | Prior consent |
| Côte d'Ivoire | MTN (mandatory), Orange and Moov (recommended) | Alphanumeric, 11 characters | 5 working days (Orange), 15 (MTN) | Consent, STOP / HELP, 8 am – 7 pm |
| Senegal | Orange, Expresso | Alphanumeric, 11 characters | 10 working days (Orange) to over 20 days | Prior consent |
| Nigeria | MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile | Alphanumeric, 11 characters | A few days to over 20 days | DND registry, 8 am – 7 pm |
| Ghana | MTN, Telecel, AirtelTigo | Alphanumeric, 11 characters | About 9 days (local) | Daytime sending (8 am – 7 pm) |
| Togo | Togocel, Moov Africa | Registered alphanumeric (your brand) | About 15 days | Consent + opt-out USSD code |
| Burkina Faso | Orange, Moov, Telecel | Registered alphanumeric | Over 20 days (5 working days at Orange) | Prior consent |
| Mali | Orange, Sotelma | Alphanumeric, 11 characters | About 4 to 5 days (Orange) | Betting and third-party brands filtered |
| Guinea | MTN (mandatory), Orange (validation) | Alphanumeric, 11 characters | 5 days (Orange) to 12 days (local) | Prior consent |
| Niger | Airtel, Orange, Moov | Registered alphanumeric | About 4 weeks | Consent and opt-out |
| Mauritania | Mauritanian operators (local traffic) | Registered alphanumeric | About 6 days | Prior consent |
| Central Africa | ||||
| Cameroon | MTN (mandatory), Orange (validation) | Alphanumeric, 11 characters | 5 to 15 working days per operator, over 20 in total | Prior consent |
| Gabon | Airtel, Moov, Libertis | Alphanumeric, 11 characters | Generally quick | Prior consent |
| Republic of the Congo | MTN, Airtel | Alphanumeric (your brand) | About 16 to 20 days | Consent, restricted sending hours |
| DR Congo | Vodacom (registration), Orange, Airtel, Africell | Alphanumeric (your brand) | About 11 days | Prior consent |
| North Africa | ||||
| Morocco | Inwi (mandatory), Maroc Telecom, Orange | Alphanumeric, 11 Latin characters | About 17 days (local) | Consent, 8 am – 8 pm |
| Tunisia | Tunisian networks (local traffic) | Registered alphanumeric, 11 characters | 1 to 3 weeks | Prior consent |
| Egypt | Egyptian operators (local traffic) | Registered alphanumeric | About 20 days | Prior consent |
| Algeria | Algerian operators (local traffic) | Registered alphanumeric | Over 20 days | Prior consent |
| East Africa and Indian Ocean | ||||
| Kenya | Safaricom (mandatory) | Alphanumeric (transactional), numeric or short code (promotion) | 4 to 8 weeks (Safaricom) | Mandatory opt-out, 8 am – 6 pm |
| Tanzania | Tigo, Zantel, Airtel (mandatory) | Registered alphanumeric | About 8 to 11 days | Documented opt-in, 8 am – 8 pm |
| Uganda | MTN (mandatory), Airtel | Alphanumeric, 11 characters | Up to 3 weeks | Mandatory opt-out, 6 am – 7 pm |
| Rwanda | MTN (mandatory) | Alphanumeric (your brand) | About 16 to over 20 days | Prior consent |
| Madagascar | Orange (validation), Telma (Yas), Airtel | Alphanumeric, 3 to 11 characters | 5 working days (Orange) | Prior consent |
| Burundi | Burundian operators (local traffic) | Registered alphanumeric | About 15 days | Prior consent |
| Ethiopia | Ethiopian operators | Registered alphanumeric | About 9 days (local) | Prior consent |
| Southern Africa | ||||
| South Africa | MTN, Vodacom, Cell C, Telkom | Long number, limited alphanumeric ID | About 9 days | Free STOP, restricted hours |
| Zambia | Airtel, MTN, Zamtel | Registered alphanumeric | About 10 days | Prior consent |
Practical guidelines.This information covers the most requested markets and does not reflect our full coverage. Rules change and vary by operator: for a country that is not listed, or for coverage or pricing specific to your account, contact us. We confirm the applicable rules before anything is sent.Last updated : October 3, 2026.
The most common pitfalls
Most delivery failures when opening a new market come from one of these points.
A name replaced silently
An unregistered ID may be replaced by a generic ID, or the message may not be delivered, with no clear error on the application side.
Sending before confirmation
Several operators ask that the name not be used before their written confirmation.
One ID for everything
OTP and campaigns do not follow the same rules. In Nigeria and Kenya, plan separate IDs.
A name that is too generic
INFO, SMS, NOTICE or VERIFY are refused or replaced. The name must match your brand or your service.
Hours and registries
A promotion sent outside allowed hours, or to numbers listed in an opt-out registry, is filtered or blocked.
Local or international?
Registration, required documents and lead times differ depending on where the traffic originates. State it from the start.
The name missing from the message
In several countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Togo), the brand name must also appear in the SMS text.
Sensitive content
Political, religious or gambling content is refused by several operators. In betting and gaming, check it country by country.
Details for these markets
West Africa
BeninIt all happens at MTN: without registration, your sender name may be replaced.
- ID registration
- Registration is requested for both local and international traffic. MTN Benin enforces it strictly: without it, the sender may be replaced by a generic ID, or the message may not be delivered. The local file generally includes the certificate of registration, the RCCM and an authorisation letter.
- ID format
- Use an alphanumeric ID: an international numeric ID is not supported by MTN Benin. The brand name must also appear in the message text.
- Approval time
- Allow often more than 20 days for a complete local file.
- Traffic and compliance
- Marketing messages require the recipient's prior consent. Generic IDs (INFO, SMS, NOTICE…) are refused or discouraged. Political, religious or gambling content is also refused by many operators.
Côte d'IvoireAllow 15 working days at MTN, and register the same ID with all three operators.
- ID registration
- MTN requires pre-registration, and the local file needs the RCCM and an authorisation letter. Registering the same ID with Orange, MTN and Moov is recommended. Without registration, the ID may be replaced or the message not delivered.
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum, letters and digits, no spaces or special characters. A foreign numeric ID may be overwritten. The brand name must also appear in the message text.
- Approval time
- Allow 5 working days to validate a sender name at Orange and 15 working days at MTN; for a complete local file, more than 20 days in total is common. The name must not be used before written confirmation.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, STOP / HELP wording in the user’s language, sending between 8 am and 7 pm. Generic IDs are prohibited. Delivery difficulties towards MTN are known.
SenegalA brand name is mandatory: a number cannot be used as the sender.
- ID registration
- Registration is requested for both local and international traffic. For Orange and Expresso, an alphanumeric ID is required: numeric IDs are not supported. The local file needs a trade registration. Generic IDs are prohibited and the ID must match your brand.
- ID format
- 11 alphanumeric characters maximum; spaces are allowed, upper and lower case are distinguished.
- Approval time
- Allow about 10 working days at Orange, without using the ID before confirmation, and often more than 20 days for a complete local file (about 15 days for international traffic).
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing. For international traffic, links in the SMS must be declared (URL whitelisting). Person-to-person traffic is prohibited, as are, often, political, religious, unsolicited advertising and gambling content.
NigeriaTwo traffic families: transactional goes through, promotion is filtered by the DND registry.
- ID registration
- An alphanumeric ID must be registered and approved network by network: MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile. The local file requires the CAC certificate and the national regulator’s approval, with sector licences depending on the activity (banking, insurance, lottery, lending). Traffic sent with an unregistered ID is handled on a best-effort basis.
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum. Plan separate IDs for transactional and promotional traffic. Generic IDs should be avoided.
- Approval time
- About a week for international traffic, and often more than 20 days for a complete local file.
- Traffic and compliance
- Traffic is classified as transactional or promotional. The national DND (Do Not Disturb) registry blocks promotional messages to registered numbers; transactional messages (OTP, alerts) are not affected. Plan daytime sending, between 8 am and 7 pm (local time). Gambling content is restricted.
GhanaEach network approves separately, and promotions have a strict sending window.
- ID registration
- Registration is done at network level (MTN, Telecel, AirtelTigo): an ID approved by one is not automatically approved by the others. The local file requires an authorisation letter, proof of local presence and, depending on the activity, a sector licence (banking, gaming).
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum. Each additional ID (other product or service) needs its own registration.
- Approval time
- About 9 days for local traffic; more than 20 days for international traffic.
- Traffic and compliance
- Promotional messages are limited to daytime (around 8 am to 7 pm). The data protection law governs consent and the right to object.
TogoRegister your ID for local traffic (authorisation letter, about 15 days) and quote the opt-out USSD code in promotional SMS.
- ID registration
- Registration of the sender name is required for local traffic, with Togocel and Moov Africa Togo, together with an authorisation letter. The name must not be used before confirmation; without registration, the ID may be replaced or filtered.
- ID format
- Use an alphanumeric ID containing your brand name. Generic IDs (INFO, SMS, NOTICE…) are prohibited. The brand name must also appear in the message text.
- Approval time
- Allow about 15 days for local traffic.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing. Each operator offers its customers a USSD code to refuse advertising messages (*102*7# for Togocel, *100*3# for Moov Africa Togo), to be quoted at the end of each promotional SMS. Person-to-person traffic is prohibited.
Burkina FasoRegistration is required for all traffic: prepare a complete file and allow more than 20 days.
- ID registration
- Registration is requested for both local and international traffic. The local file includes the registration certificate, a sworn statement and an authorisation letter. Orange also validates each name with its local team (whitelist): the name must not be used before written confirmation.
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum, spaces allowed, upper and lower case distinguished. A numeric ID is replaced at Orange and generic IDs are prohibited. The brand name must also appear in the message text.
- Approval time
- About 5 working days at Orange, but allow more than 20 days for a complete file.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, with a free way to opt out. Political, religious or gambling content is refused by many operators and person-to-person traffic is prohibited.
MaliFor local traffic, plan for local company registration (RCCM) and name approval at Orange.
- ID registration
- Orange validates each name before use (whitelist). For local traffic, registration is required and needs the RCCM and an authorisation letter; international traffic is usually less restricted.
- ID format
- 11 alphanumeric characters maximum, spaces allowed, upper and lower case distinguished. The brand name must also appear in the message text.
- Approval time
- A few working days (around 4 to 5) for a complete local file.
- Traffic and compliance
- At Orange Mali, traffic related to the WhatsApp brand is blocked and online betting traffic is delivered only through a dedicated connection.
GuineaMTN requires registration: without it, the ID is replaced or the message is not delivered.
- ID registration
- Prior registration is mandatory at MTN: without it, the alphanumeric ID is replaced by a generic ID or the message is not delivered. The local file includes the certificate of registration and an authorisation letter; Orange also validates names before use, through its local team.
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum, spaces allowed, upper and lower case distinguished; the ID must contain your brand name. A numeric ID is replaced at MTN. The brand name must also appear in the message text.
- Approval time
- Up to 5 working days at Orange, around 3 weeks at MTN depending on the case; a complete local file generally takes about twelve days.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing. Generic IDs (INFO, SMS, NOTICE…) are prohibited, as are person-to-person traffic and, often, political, religious, unsolicited advertising and gambling content.
NigerRegistration is required: allow around four weeks for approval.
- ID registration
- For local traffic, an alphanumeric ID must be registered and approved by the operators before sending; messages sent with an unregistered ID are rejected. The file includes the ID, the company name, address and website, a content sample, the estimated monthly volume and a copy of the business registration.
- ID format
- There is no default ID: your name is only active once each operator has approved it. Avoid generic IDs.
- Approval time
- About 4 working weeks after a complete file is submitted.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent and a way to opt out for marketing. Adult and political content is prohibited often.
MauritaniaQuick local registration (about 6 days); the brand name also appears in the message.
- ID registration
- For local traffic, the alphanumeric ID is registered with a message sample, the purpose of the ID and a description of the use case. International traffic is generally not subject to this registration.
- ID format
- Alphanumeric with your brand name. The brand name must also appear in the message text.
- Approval time
- About 6 days for local traffic.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, with a clear opt-out option and daytime sending.
Central Africa
CameroonBoth MTN and Orange require prior approval: allow 5 to 15 working days.
- ID registration
- MTN requires prior registration: without it, the alphanumeric ID may be replaced or the message not delivered. Orange also validates each name before use (whitelist). The local file requires the registration form, proof of local presence and a content sample; the name must not be used before written confirmation.
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum, no special characters (a space is accepted at Orange), upper and lower case distinguished. The ID must contain your brand name; a numeric ID is not supported by MTN.
- Approval time
- About 5 working days at Orange and 15 working days at MTN; for a complete file, allow more than 20 days in total.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing. Generic IDs (INFO, SMS, NOTICE…) and person-to-person traffic are prohibited. Destination numbers have 12 digits (country code 237 followed by a 9-digit number starting with 6).
GabonRegistration is requested for local traffic: prepare the file before opening the market.
- ID registration
- Alphanumeric IDs are accepted on Airtel and Moov. Prior registration is requested for local traffic; messages sent with an unregistered ID may be rejected.
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum, non-generic and consistent with your brand. At Airtel, a numeric ID is replaced by a generic alphanumeric ID.
- Approval time
- Local registration is generally quick.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, with a clear opt-out option. Plan for proof of business activity, a message sample and a description of the use case.
Republic of the CongoRegistration is required, local and international: allow around three weeks.
- ID registration
- Prior registration is requested for alphanumeric IDs at Airtel and MTN, for both local and international traffic. The file includes the ID, a message sample, the company name, website, estimated monthly volume, a description of the use case and a contact.
- ID format
- Alphanumeric with your brand name, upper and lower case distinguished. Numeric IDs are not supported and may be replaced; generic IDs are prohibited.
- Approval time
- About 16 days for international traffic and 20 days for local traffic.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing. The sending window is short (around 7 am to 4:30 pm). Person-to-person traffic is prohibited, as are political, religious, unsolicited advertising and gambling content.
DR CongoEach network has its own rule: Vodacom registers, Orange may replace the ID, Airtel rejects numeric IDs.
- ID registration
- Vodacom requires prior registration: an unregistered ID is replaced by a default ID. Orange may replace an alphanumeric ID with a short code. The file includes the ID, its purpose, a message sample, the company name, head office address and an authorisation letter.
- ID format
- Use an alphanumeric ID representative of your brand: Airtel and Africell do not support numeric IDs. Generic IDs (INFO, SMS, NOTICE…) are prohibited.
- Approval time
- About 11 days for local traffic.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing. Person-to-person traffic and, often, political, religious, unsolicited advertising and gambling content are prohibited.
North Africa
MoroccoInwi replaces your ID if it is not registered; allow around 15 working days.
- ID registration
- Inwi requires prior registration: without it, the ID is replaced by a default ID. The file states the ID, the category (OTP, transactional or promotional), a sample SMS, the company name, website and expected volume, and requires an authorisation letter, proof of local presence, a trade registration and a trademark certificate.
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum, Latin alphabet only: no accents, spaces or punctuation. The ID cannot be a plain number and must clearly identify the brand; a generic word is only accepted if it is the company or brand name, with proof. Numeric IDs are not supported.
- Approval time
- About 15 to 17 working days for local traffic, and more than 20 days for international traffic.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, with sending between 8 am and 8 pm. Person-to-person traffic and political, religious, unsolicited advertising and gambling content are prohibited.
TunisiaLocal registration is required: without it, messages are rejected or the ID is replaced.
- ID registration
- An alphanumeric ID must be registered for local traffic; messages sent with an unregistered ID may be rejected or replaced. The file includes the ID, a content sample, the company name, website, tax ID and the business registration; an authorisation letter is often requested.
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum, non-generic and tied to your brand or product (with trademark proof or certificate of registration). Generic IDs are often blocked or filtered, and an international numeric ID is replaced.
- Approval time
- One to three weeks depending on the file.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, with a clear opt-out option. For a transactional ID, a letter confirming the transactional use may be requested.
EgyptLocal registration is required, with a complete file and approved message templates.
- ID registration
- Registration of the alphanumeric ID is required for local traffic. The file includes the business registration, the trademark certificate, the tax ID, an authorisation letter and message templates, with the app or website link for OTPs.
- ID format
- Choose a simple ID with no special characters, as requests with special characters are often rejected. State whether the name has any government affiliation.
- Approval time
- About 20 days for local traffic.
- Traffic and compliance
- Operators readily filter generic messages: include the brand or service name in the text, and respect consent, STOP and daytime hours.
AlgeriaLocal registration is required, with an authorisation letter: allow more than 20 days.
- ID registration
- For local traffic, the alphanumeric ID must be registered with a content sample and an authorisation letter. International traffic is generally not subject to this registration.
- ID format
- Alphanumeric, with your brand name; avoid generic IDs.
- Approval time
- More than 20 days for a local file.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, with a clear opt-out option and daytime sending.
East Africa and Indian Ocean
KenyaThe slowest market to set up: plan a transactional ID and a promotional ID.
- ID registration
- Registration of an alphanumeric ID is required by Safaricom. It goes through a licensed content service provider (CSP), with the company registration certificate, an authorisation letter, content samples and the traffic type.
- ID format
- Branded alphanumeric IDs are mainly used for transactional traffic; promotional campaigns generally use a numeric ID or a short code. If you do both, plan two IDs.
- Approval time
- Several weeks: 4 to 8 weeks for Safaricom, up to 14 working days for Airtel and Telkom Kenya, depending on the case.
- Traffic and compliance
- The traffic category (transactional or promotional) is declared at registration and changes the applicable rules. A way to opt out is mandatory, sending takes place between 8 am and 6 pm, and gambling content is only accepted for licensed operators.
TanzaniaDynamic IDs do not go through: registration is required and each ID is tied to a company name.
- ID registration
- Dynamic alphanumeric IDs are not supported: prior registration is mandatory on Tigo (MIC), Zantel and Airtel, otherwise the ID is replaced. The file describes the use case and your opt-in and opt-out methods, with an authorisation letter. Every A2P traffic ID must be tied to an official company name.
- ID format
- Alphanumeric with your brand name, upper and lower case distinguished. Numeric IDs are not supported and generic IDs are prohibited.
- Approval time
- About 8 days for international traffic and 11 days for local traffic.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, with sending between 8 am and 8 pm. Person-to-person traffic is prohibited, as are, often, political, religious, unsolicited advertising and gambling content.
UgandaMTN enforces registration; allow up to 3 weeks.
- ID registration
- Prior registration is enforced on MTN; other networks are more flexible. It is done network by network. The file includes a non-generic ID aligned with your brand, an authorisation letter, a description of the use case and the IP address of the sending server, as well as, depending on the case, trademark proof or a certificate of registration.
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum, non-generic and aligned with your product or brand. For transactional use, a letter confirming it may be requested.
- Approval time
- Around 3 weeks at most.
- Traffic and compliance
- A way to opt out is mandatory and sending takes place in daytime (around 6 am to 7 pm). Commercial traffic is governed by national regulations on text and multimedia messaging, and gambling content is restricted.
RwandaMTN requires prior registration; numeric IDs are replaced.
- ID registration
- Alphanumeric IDs are accepted, but prior registration is mandatory, notably on MTN, for both local and international traffic. The local file requires the certificate of registration (RDB), the representative’s ID and the company’s tax ID. Links in the SMS must be declared for local traffic.
- ID format
- Alphanumeric with your brand name, upper and lower case distinguished. Numeric IDs are replaced and generic IDs are prohibited.
- Approval time
- About 16 days for international traffic, more than 20 days for local traffic.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing. Person-to-person traffic is prohibited, as are, often, political, religious, unsolicited advertising and gambling content.
MadagascarOrange validates each name; the other networks accept dynamic IDs, with exceptions.
- ID registration
- Orange requires each name to be validated (whitelist) before use; Telma (Yas) may replace some IDs to ensure delivery. For local traffic, the client’s tax ID is requested before registration. Register your ID on each network to secure delivery.
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum. Avoid generic words (INFO, VERIFY, NOTIFY); Airtel and Orange do not support dynamic numeric IDs.
- Approval time
- Up to 5 working days at Orange.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, with a clear opt-out option.
BurundiLocal registration with an authorisation letter: allow about 15 days.
- ID registration
- For local traffic, the alphanumeric ID is registered with an authorisation letter, the company name, address, website, a message sample and a description of the use case.
- ID format
- Alphanumeric with your brand name. The brand name must also appear in the message text.
- Approval time
- About 15 days for local traffic.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, with a clear opt-out option and daytime sending.
EthiopiaRegistration required, with a business licence: about 9 days locally, very quick internationally.
- ID registration
- Registration is requested for both local and international traffic. The local file includes the business licence, the certificate of registration and an authorisation letter, with a message sample and a description of the use case.
- ID format
- Alphanumeric with your brand name; avoid generic IDs.
- Approval time
- About 9 days locally, about a day internationally.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, with a clear opt-out option and daytime sending.
Southern Africa
South AfricaHours are strict: no marketing on Sundays, public holidays, or after 8 pm.
- ID registration
- Alphanumeric IDs are poorly supported: on most networks the message is sent from a long number, and MTN requires prior registration for an alphanumeric ID. Traffic is registered with a message sample and a description of the use case, in about 9 days.
- ID format
- 11 characters maximum, non-generic and aligned with your brand. Also plan a fallback long number for networks that do not display the ID.
- Approval time
- About 9 days.
- Traffic and compliance
- For direct marketing, market rules require consent (or an existing commercial relationship with a way to object), the sender’s identity and contact details in the message, and a free opt-out by replying STOP. No sending on Sundays, public holidays, Saturdays before 9 am and after 1 pm, or on other days between 8 pm and 8 am.
ZambiaEach operator requests its own delegation letter: allow about 10 days.
- ID registration
- Registration is requested for both local and international traffic. The local file requires an authorisation letter, proof of local presence and a delegation letter specific to each operator (Airtel, MTN, Zamtel).
- ID format
- Alphanumeric with your brand name; avoid generic IDs.
- Approval time
- About 10 days.
- Traffic and compliance
- Prior consent for marketing, with a clear opt-out option and daytime sending.
The typical file
Exact documents vary by country and operator, but registering a sender name generally requires:
See the Sender ID solution- 1The desired sender name
- 2The company name and website
- 3The traffic type: OTP, transactional or promotional
- 4Message samples
- 5Depending on the country: certificate of incorporation (RCCM, CAC…), authorisation letter, proof of local presence
- 6The estimated monthly volume and a description of the use case
Another country? A special case?
Tell us your destination countries and the type of traffic: we will explain the applicable rules and the documents to prepare before you start sending.