SMS API for Nigeria

How to send one-time passcodes, alerts and campaigns to Nigerian phones from your application, and what to look for in a provider.

What an SMS API does

An SMS API lets your application send text messages to customers without anyone typing them. Your system makes a request with the recipient, the message and the sender name; the provider routes the message to the mobile operator, and the operator delivers it to the handset.

This is called A2P (application-to-person) SMS: a bank, shop or app messaging a customer. It is the standard way to send one-time passcodes, transaction alerts, appointment reminders and campaigns.

Why direct routes matter

Between your application and the phone there can be several hops. Each extra hop can add delay, and messages that travel over unregistered or indirect routes can be filtered, rewritten or dropped.

Ruach is a licensed Nigerian telecom operator and connects directly to MTN, Glo, 9mobile and Airtel. Traffic goes to the operator over carrier-grade interconnects rather than through third-party aggregators. Read more on the SMS product page.

What you need to get started

1. Register your Sender ID
   The Sender ID is the brand name recipients see. Registration rules differ by market, and our Sender ID guide explains the process.
2. Open an account
   Complete the SMS onboarding form. It collects the details we need in one place.
3. Integrate the API
   Developers can follow the documentation and try requests in the SMS playground before writing code.
4. Send, then watch the delivery reports
   Start with a small test, confirm delivery, then scale up to production traffic.

Common uses

• One-time passcodes and two-factor authentication for logins and payments
• Transaction alerts and fraud notifications
• Order, delivery and booking updates
• Appointment reminders
• Promotional campaigns, scheduled or triggered from your product

Delivery reports and replies

Every message returns a delivery report, so your application knows whether it arrived and can react, for example by retrying through another channel. Reports and status events can be delivered to your system through webhooks.

If you want customers to reply, use two-way SMS on a dedicated number or a short code. Replies reach your application through a webhook.

How SMS is priced

SMS is priced per message and varies by destination and route. Use the pricing calculator for an estimate, see the starting price for each country on the SMS Markets pages, or contact us for volume pricing.

SMS API questions

Which Nigerian networks can I reach?

Ruach connects directly to MTN, Glo, 9mobile and Airtel, so one integration reaches subscribers on all four networks.

Do I need a Sender ID to send SMS?

In most markets, yes. Registration requirements and lead times vary, and our Sender ID guide and SMS Markets pages explain what each operator needs.

Can I test the API before going live?

Yes. The SMS playground lets you try requests in your browser, and the documentation covers authentication and the available endpoints.

Can customers reply to my messages?

Yes, with two-way SMS on a number or short code. Alphanumeric Sender IDs cannot receive replies on their own.

How do I know a message was delivered?

Each message returns a delivery report, and status events can be sent to your application through webhooks.

Related

• SMS: The SMS product: routes, Sender IDs and delivery reports.
• Sender ID guide: What a Sender ID is and how registration works.
• SMS Markets: Networks, rules and starting prices, country by country.
• WhatsApp Business API: Add WhatsApp with automatic SMS fallback.