In July 2025 the Nigerian Communications Commission introduced a licensing framework for international A2P (application-to-person) messaging aggregators, the companies that carry SMS from foreign platforms into Nigerian networks. Its stated aim is to bring international A2P traffic such as OTPs and alerts into Nigeria through approved channels, and to close gaps used for grey routing, spam and revenue leakage.
Last reviewed: 27 October 2026
This article explains what the framework covers, what has been publicly reported about it, and the questions an OTP sender should ask a provider. It is a summary of public reporting, not legal advice.
What is international A2P traffic?
A2P SMS is any message sent by an application to a person: OTPs, bank alerts, delivery notices, marketing. "International" A2P traffic is A2P SMS that enters a Nigerian network from outside the country. A large share of OTPs Nigerians receive come from global apps and platforms whose systems sit abroad, such as social networks, app stores and payment services.
Before the framework, some of that traffic reached Nigerian subscribers through so-called grey routes: paths that terminate international messages as if they were local, or through SIM boxes, avoiding the rates and controls that apply to international traffic. Grey routes are cheap, but delivery is unreliable, sender IDs can be overwritten and there is little accountability when something goes wrong.
What the NCC announced
ITWeb Africa reported on 9 July 2025 that the NCC had unveiled Nigeria's first formal licensing framework for A2P messaging. Babalakin & Co summarised the framework in a client note the same week. The main points reported:
- A new licence category for the provision of international A2P messaging aggregator services, issued under the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
- Purpose: to address grey routing, spam and revenue leakage in international A2P traffic and strengthen consumer protection. The NCC was quoted as saying that unregulated A2P messaging "has created loopholes for grey routing, spam".
- Routing: international A2P SMS is to pass through NCC-approved channels, with the NCC aiming to centralise how foreign platforms' traffic reaches Nigerian networks.
- Obligations: licensees are expected to meet data protection, encryption and reporting standards.
- Terms: a reported licence fee of NGN 10 million and a five-year tenure.
- Eligibility: public summaries indicate that mobile network operators cannot hold this licence, and that an applicant may work with a technical partner.
The application window announced in July 2025 was short. We have not found a public list of licensees, so we do not state who holds a licence. Check the NCC's public notices for the latest position.
Why this matters for OTP traffic into Nigeria
For a business sending OTPs to Nigerian users, the framework changes the question from "which provider is cheapest" to "how does this provider's traffic reach Nigerian networks". The practical effects to plan for:
- Route stability. Traffic that reaches networks through approved paths is less likely to be cut off suddenly when a grey route is closed. Grey-route closures typically show up as a sudden fall in delivery on one network.
- Sender ID integrity. Approved routes respect your registered sender ID. Grey routes frequently replace it with a random number, which teaches users to trust codes from unknown senders.
- Price. International A2P rates are typically higher than local rates. If a quote for Nigerian OTPs looks far below the market, ask why.
- Data handling. Licensees are expected to meet data protection standards, which aligns with your own duties under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
Local or international: which traffic are you sending?
Whether your traffic counts as international depends on how your provider terminates it, not only on where your servers are. A Lagos fintech using a provider that terminates locally sends local A2P traffic; a European app sending to Nigerian users is likely sending international traffic. The categories and rules can be technical, so the honest answer for most businesses is to ask the provider.
| Question to ask your provider | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| How is your Nigeria traffic terminated: local connection, licensed international aggregator, or other? | Tells you whether the route is approved and stable |
| Will my sender ID be preserved on all four networks? | Overwritten sender IDs are a sign of an unapproved route |
| Is my OTP traffic classed as transactional on every network? | Promotional class means DND users will not receive codes |
| Can I see delivery reports per network? | Lets you spot route problems on one network quickly |
| Where is message data stored, and for how long? | Relevant to your NDPA obligations |
How to audit your current OTP set-up
You do not need to wait for a problem to check how exposed your OTP flow is. A short audit, done once a quarter, covers most of the risk:
- Send test codes to all four networks. Use real SIMs on MTN, Airtel, Glo and T2 and note the sender shown on each handset. If any shows a random number instead of your registered sender ID, raise it with your provider.
- Compare delivery by network. Pull a month of delivery reports and compare the share of delivered messages on each network. A network that lags the others consistently deserves a question.
- Check conversion. Compare verifications started with verifications approved, by network and by hour. Falling conversion with steady volume points to a delivery problem; rising volume with falling conversion points to abuse.
- Review your fallback. Decide what happens when SMS fails: a voice call, an email code, or an in-app prompt to try again later. Customers locked out at the checkout are customers lost.
- Document your answers. Keep a note of how your provider says your Nigeria traffic is terminated, with the date. If the regulatory position changes, you have a starting point.
What eSMS Africa does
eSMS Africa sends to MTN, Airtel, Glo and T2 through our network connections, registers your sender IDs with each network, and gives you delivery reports by webhook and in the dashboard so you can see per-network results. This article does not claim that eSMS Africa holds any particular NCC licence. If your compliance team needs to know how your Nigeria traffic is terminated, contact our sales team and ask; we will answer in writing.
For OTPs specifically, eSMS Verify manages the code itself (generation, hashing, expiry, attempts and rate limits). See the Verify product page and our OTP SMS Nigeria guide.
What has not changed
- DND still applies. The 2442 Do-Not-Disturb rules filter promotional traffic regardless of route. See our DND guide.
- Sender IDs are still approved per network. Registration with MTN, Airtel, Glo and T2 continues as before; see the Nigeria sender ID page.
- Your data protection duties are yours. The NDPA 2023 applies to the phone numbers you collect, whichever provider sends your messages.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an NCC A2P licence to send OTPs to my users?
Public summaries describe the licence as applying to aggregators that carry international A2P traffic into Nigeria, not to every business that sends messages. If you are unsure whether your own set-up needs a licence, take legal advice.
Will the framework make SMS more expensive?
Reporting has not given an industry-wide price effect. International A2P termination has typically cost more than local termination, and routing more traffic through approved channels may narrow the gap between cheap grey routes and approved routes.
How can I tell if my OTPs are going through a grey route?
Signs include sender IDs replaced by random numbers, sharp delivery drops on one network, and prices well below the market. Ask your provider directly and check per-network delivery reports.
Sources
- ITWeb Africa - Nigeria unveils first A2P messaging licensing framework
- Babalakin & Co - NCC launches new licence for international A2P messaging aggregator services (PDF)
- NCC - Do-Not-Disturb (DND) service in Nigeria
- Templars - Unsolicited messaging and the limits of opt-out provisions (PDF)
Want OTPs that keep your sender ID on every Nigerian network? Read the fintech use-case guide, then create an eSMS Africa account and test Verify with a free test key before you go live.
