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Sender ID Registration

A sender ID is the name or number that appears as the "from" on a recipient's phone. Across most African markets, alphanumeric sender IDs (for example MyBrand) must be registered with the national regulator and the carriers before they can be used. Unregistered traffic is increasingly filtered, masked, or blocked outright.

This page covers how to register sender IDs through AfriRoute, what each market requires, and how to use them once approved.

Why Registration Matters​

StatusTypical Delivery RateWhat Recipients See
Registered alphanumeric90–98%Your brand name
Unregistered alphanumeric40–60% (often blocked)"Likely Spam" or masked
Shared shortcode85–95%A numeric shortcode

Registered sender IDs deliver more reliably, build trust, and are mandatory for transactional traffic such as OTPs and banking alerts in regulated markets.

Sender ID Formats​

  • Alphanumeric — 3 to 11 characters, letters and digits, no spaces (AfriRoute, MyBank24). Display-only; recipients cannot reply.
  • Numeric long code — a standard mobile number. Supports two-way replies.
  • Shortcode — a 4–6 digit number, shared or dedicated. Best for high-volume two-way campaigns and opt-in keywords.

Register a Sender ID​

Submit a registration request per country. AfriRoute handles the carrier and regulator paperwork on your behalf.

curl -X POST https://api.afriroute.ai/api/v1/sender-ids \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRIROUTE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "sender_id": "MyBank24",
    "country": "NG",
    "use_case": "transactional",
    "company_name": "MyBank PLC",
    "company_registration_number": "RC123456",
    "sample_message": "Your OTP is 123456. Valid for 5 minutes.",
    "documents": ["doc_certificate_of_incorporation", "doc_letter_of_authorization"]
  }'
{
  "sender_id_id": "sid_abc123",
  "sender_id": "MyBank24",
  "country": "NG",
  "status": "pending_review",
  "estimated_approval": "2026-06-05",
  "created_at": "2026-05-28T10:00:00Z"
}

Check status anytime:

curl https://api.afriroute.ai/api/v1/sender-ids/sid_abc123 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRIROUTE_API_KEY"

Statuses: pending_review, submitted_to_carrier, approved, rejected.

Documentation Checklist​

Most regulators require some combination of the following. AfriRoute's dashboard tells you exactly which are needed per country.

  • Certificate of incorporation / business registration
  • Letter of authorization on company letterhead
  • Sample messages for the requested sender ID
  • Tax identification number (Tanzania, Nigeria, others)
  • Proof of opt-in process for promotional use cases

Approval Lead Times​

CountryTypical Lead TimeNotes
🇳🇬 Nigeria5–10 business daysSeparate transactional vs promotional registration
🇰🇪 Kenya3–7 business daysPremium and standard routes differ
🇪🇹 Ethiopia7–14 business daysSingle state carrier
🇬🇭 Ghana3–5 business days—
🇿🇦 South Africa2–5 business daysRegistration recommended, not always mandatory

Using an Approved Sender ID​

Once approved, pass it as from:

await fetch('https://api.afriroute.ai/api/v1/sms/send', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer $AFRIROUTE_API_KEY', 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    to: '+2348012345678',
    from: 'MyBank24',        // must be approved for NG
    message: 'Your OTP is 123456. Valid for 5 minutes.'
  })
});

Using a sender ID in a country where it is not approved returns SENDER_ID_NOT_REGISTERED.

Best Practices​

  • Register before launching in a new market; build lead time into your roadmap.
  • Register transactional and promotional sender IDs separately where regulators require it.
  • Keep sample messages truthful — mismatches between sample and live content are the most common rejection reason.
  • Use a recognizable, consistent brand name to maximize trust and delivery.

Need help with a registration? [email protected]

Last Updated: May 2026