Bulk SMS in Ghana works best on a registered alphanumeric sender ID, sent to customers who opted in, with every promotional message carrying an unsubscribe route as the National Communications Authority (NCA) Code of Conduct on Unsolicited Electronic Communications requires. On top of that, the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) requires businesses that process personal data to register with the Data Protection Commission and, as law firm summaries describe it, to get prior written consent before using personal data for direct marketing.
Last reviewed: 28 October 2026
This guide is for Ghanaian SMEs, schools, churches, microfinance companies, retailers and the teams that send on their behalf. It adds detail that our shorter bulk SMS Ghana overview and Ghana compliance summary leave out: what the NCA code actually says, how to record consent, how Twi and Ga affect message length, how mobile money fits into messages, and a setup checklist.
Who regulates SMS in Ghana
| Body | Law or instrument | Relevance to bulk SMS |
|---|---|---|
| National Communications Authority (NCA) | Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775); Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 1991); UEC Code of Conduct | Opt-in, unsubscribe facilities, sender information, timing of operator promotions |
| Data Protection Commission (DPC) | Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) | Registration of data controllers; consent for direct marketing; right to stop marketing |
What the NCA Code of Conduct says
The NCA's Code of Conduct on Unsolicited Electronic Communications is written for network operators and service providers, so it reaches your business through your SMS provider's terms. The points that matter most:
- Opt-in by default (11.2 to 11.7): marketing messages must be permission based, the recipient must take the action to subscribe, and lists gathered for another purpose must not be used for unsolicited messages.
- Acceptable ways to collect consent (12.1): a web form, a keyword texted to a short code, an online or paper form that explains what the person will receive, or a voice request confirmed by text or email.
- Proof of consent (13.1 to 13.4): consent must be explicit and "documented and saved", kept for as long as you message the person, and include the date, time, content of the consent and the person's identity.
- Unsubscribe (15.1 to 15.4): every commercial message must include a free way to unsubscribe.
- Language (18.1): sender information and the unsubscribe statement should be in English unless the recipient has agreed to another language.
- Do-Not-Text/Call register (17): the code provides for a national register; a number on it should not receive commercial messages unless that person consented to you specifically.
The code also limits network operators' own promotional messages to 08:00 to 19:00 daily and three different promotions a month (19.2). That clause is about operators' own marketing, not business senders, but many Ghanaian businesses treat the same window as a sensible limit for promotions.
What the Data Protection Act adds
Act 843 applies to anyone processing personal data in Ghana, and a phone number tied to a name is personal data. Two duties stand out for bulk SMS senders:
- Registration: a data controller must register with the Data Protection Commission before processing personal data. DLA Piper reports that a registration certificate is valid for two years and must then be renewed.
- Direct marketing: section 40 gives people the right to stop processing for direct marketing, and DLA Piper summarises the Act as prohibiting the use of personal data for direct marketing without the data subject's prior written consent. Read alongside the NCA code's opt-in rules, the safe approach is clear: get recorded opt-in for promotions, and stop immediately when someone asks.
Networks and numbers
Ghana's mobile networks are MTN, Telecel Ghana (the former Vodafone Ghana, rebranded in 2024) and AT (formerly AirtelTigo). eSMS Africa has direct routes to all three. Numbers are ten digits locally, starting with 0; in E.164 you drop the 0 and add +233, so 024 123 4567 becomes +233241234567. Network prefixes are a guide only, since customers can port their numbers. Clean exports with our E.164 guide.
Sender ID registration
Ghanaian networks expect registered alphanumeric sender IDs, and unregistered names risk being blocked or replaced. Choose a name of up to 11 characters that customers will recognise, such as ADOMSHOP or STMARYSSHS, and avoid generic words like INFO or ALERT. eSMS Africa submits the registration for you and you can test on the eSMS default sender meanwhile; the steps and current fee are on the Ghana sender ID page, and the Ghana sender ID article covers naming rules.
English, Twi, Ga, Ewe and message length
English is the safe default and the NCA code expects the sender and unsubscribe text in English. Many businesses add a short line in Twi or another local language for warmth. Be aware that Akan (Twi and Fante), Ga and Ewe use letters such as ɛ and ɔ that are outside the GSM-7 character set. One ɛ switches the whole message to Unicode, which allows 70 characters per single message instead of 160. Compare:
- "Adom Shop: Medaase for shopping with us. New stock in Osu this Friday." - plain letters, GSM-7, one segment.
- "Adom Shop: Yɛda wo ase! New stock in Osu this Friday." - the ɛ makes it Unicode; still one segment here, but a longer version would split sooner.
Some senders write Twi without the special letters (for example "Yeda wo ase"). That keeps the cost down but can read as careless, so test with real customers.
Mobile money in your messages
MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash and AT Money are everyday payment methods, so fee reminders, invoices and order notices usually name a merchant number or reference. Keep three rules: give the exact amount in GHS, give one clear reference, and never ask for a PIN. Fraudsters copy business messages, so tell customers in every payment SMS that you will never ask for their PIN.
Sample messages
| Use case | Message |
|---|---|
| School fees | St Mary's SHS: Fees balance for Ama B is GHS 450. Pay via MoMo merchant 123456, ref SM0981. We never ask for your PIN. |
| Church | Grace Chapel Kumasi: Harvest service this Sunday 8am. All are welcome. Yɛda wo ase. |
| Retail promotion | Adom Shop: 15% off school shoes until Sat in Osu and Spintex. Unsubscribe: go.esmsafrica.io/adom-off |
| Microfinance | Sika Savings: Loan payment of GHS 320 due 05/11. Pay via MoMo ref SK2201. Questions: 0302000000 |
Two-way short codes can be ordered online for Ghana, which lets customers subscribe by keyword (one of the consent methods the NCA code lists) and reply to unsubscribe. See two-way SMS.
Sending a personalised campaign
Upload a CSV or Excel file in the dashboard, or call the bulk API with merge fields:
curl -X POST https://sms.esmsafrica.io/api/messages/send-bulk \
-H "Authorization: Bearer esms_live_your_key" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"sender_id": "ADOMSHOP",
"text": "Adom Shop: Hi {{name}}, your order of GHS {{amount}} is ready at Osu. Pay with MoMo on pickup.",
"recipients": [
{"to": "+233241234567", "name": "Akosua", "vars": {"amount": "180"}},
{"to": "+233201234567", "name": "Kwame", "vars": {"amount": "95"}}
]}'
Test keys (esms_test_...) simulate sends at no cost, and delivery reports arrive by webhook. The API documentation lists scheduling options.
Pricing and payment
Ghana SMS starts at GHS 0.09 ($0.0077) per message at the entry tier and GHS 0.08 at the business tier. It is pay as you go from USD 20, no monthly minimum. Ghanaian accounts top up by card in USD or by crypto. Full tiers are on the pricing page.
Setup checklist
- Register your business with the Data Protection Commission, or confirm your registration is current.
- Collect opt-ins with date, time, source and wording, and store them.
- Separate transactional contacts (customers, parents, members) from promotional opt-ins.
- Register a recognisable sender ID.
- Write the unsubscribe line in English and add it to every promotion.
- Check local-language lines for ɛ, ɔ and other non-GSM letters.
- Normalise numbers to +233 and remove duplicates.
- Test on your own MTN, Telecel and AT lines before the full send.
- Honour unsubscribes the same day and keep them on your opt-out list.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need consent to send fee reminders or church notices?
Messages about a service someone already uses, such as fee balances to parents or notices to registered members, are generally treated as transactional rather than marketing. Record the number and the person's permission when they enrol anyway, and stop non-essential messages on request.
Can I send promotions on Sunday?
We could not find an NCA rule that bans Sunday sending by businesses. The code's 08:00 to 19:00 window applies to operators' own promotions. Many senders avoid Sunday mornings out of courtesy; check your provider's terms and your audience.
Which language should the unsubscribe text be in?
English, unless the recipient has agreed to receive it in another language, as clause 18.1 of the NCA code sets out.
Can customers reply to my sender ID?
No. Alphanumeric sender IDs are one-way. Use a two-way short code if you need replies or keyword opt-ins.
Sources
- NCA - Code of Conduct on Unsolicited Electronic Communications (PDF)
- NCA - Legal instruments (Act 775, L.I. 1991)
- DLA Piper - Data protection laws of the world: Ghana
- Telecel Group - Vodafone Ghana to fully rebrand to Telecel (2024)
- eSMS Africa - HTTP API documentation
For developer detail see the Ghana SMS API article and the OTP page for Ghana, or compare network coverage on the Ghana SMS page. Ready to send? Create a free eSMS Africa account and test on your own phone first.
