Retailers in Zambia can use SMS for promotions as long as customers agreed to receive them, every promotion offers a way to opt out, and offers are sent in the daytime. ZICTA's 2011 directive told the networks to block promotional SMS between 20:00 and 07:00, to allow one promotion per day and to include an opt-in or opt-out option; its current enforcement is unverified, so treat it as the safe default. Order confirmations and delivery updates are transactional and can go out at any time.
Last reviewed: 27 October 2026. This article summarises public rules and press reports. It is not legal advice.
The rules a Zambian retailer should follow
| Topic | Safe default | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Time of day | Promotions between 07:00 and 20:00 only | ZICTA 2011 directive, as reported by ITWeb (current force unverified) |
| Frequency | No more than one promotion a day per customer; one type of promotion per week | ZICTA 2011 directive, as reported |
| Opt-in and opt-out | Record consent; include an opt-out in every promotion | ZICTA 2011 directive; Data Protection Act No. 3 of 2021 |
| Sender ID | Registered alphanumeric brand name; no numeric senders | Operator practice, as reported in published guidelines |
| Customer data | Lawful basis, purpose limits, security, and registration if required | Data Protection Act No. 3 of 2021; Office of the Data Protection Commissioner |
| Order and delivery messages | Any time, no opt-out needed | Transactional, not promotional |
ITWeb reported in August 2011 that the directive applied to MTN, Airtel and Zamtel from 1 September 2011. It was aimed at the networks, but networks pass the same expectations on to the businesses whose messages they carry. We have not found a later ZICTA statement confirming or withdrawing it, which is why we treat it as a floor rather than a ceiling.
Building a list customers actually agreed to
Consent is the difference between marketing and spam, and it is also what keeps your sender ID in good standing with the networks. Practical ways Zambian shops collect it:
- At the till. A loyalty sign-up slip or tablet form with a tick box: "Send me offers by SMS". Record the date and the store.
- At online checkout. An unticked box for offers, separate from the order-update consent.
- By keyword. "SMS JOIN to {{shortcode}}" on posters and receipts. eSMS two-way short codes can be ordered online for Zambia; inbound messages arrive by webhook.
- Never by purchase. Do not buy or borrow number lists. Under the Data Protection Act you need a lawful basis for every number, and bought lists also bring complaints.
Opt-outs that work
A standard sender ID cannot receive replies, so "reply STOP" only works if you send from a two-way number. Choose one of these and use it in every promotion:
- Two-way short code: "Opt out: SMS STOP to {{shortcode}}". STOP replies on an eSMS two-way number are recorded as opt-outs automatically.
- Short link: a one-tap page that adds the number to your opt-out list.
- Phone number: acceptable as a back-up, but customers rarely call.
Numbers on the eSMS opt-out list are blocked from future sends, so a customer who opts out is not messaged again by mistake from another campaign.
Promotional templates
Put the brand first, the offer second and the opt-out last. Quote prices in kwacha as you would on the shelf, and keep each message to one segment.
Mwila Mart: Payday deal Fri-Sun, 15% off cooking oil and mealie meal at all Lusaka stores. Pay by Airtel Money or card. Opt out: SMS STOP to {{shortcode}}
Kalulu Fashion: new school shoes in store from Sat. Show this SMS for a free bag. Cairo Rd and Manda Hill. Stop offers: go.esmsafrica.io/kfstop
Mwila Mart: {{name}}, you have {{points}} points, worth ZMW {{value}}. Use them by {{date}}. Opt out: SMS STOP to {{shortcode}}
Transactional templates for shops and online stores
Order updates reduce "where is my order?" calls and do not count as marketing. Keep offers out of them; a delivery message that also advertises a sale becomes a promotion.
Kalulu Fashion: order {{order}} confirmed. Total ZMW {{total}} paid by MTN MoMo. We will text you when it is out for delivery.
Kalulu Fashion: order {{order}} is out for delivery today. Rider {{rider}} 0977000000. Please have your ID ready.
Mwila Mart: your click-and-collect order {{order}} is ready at {{store}} until {{date}}. Bring code {{code}}.
A weekly plan that stays within the rules
| Day | Message | Type | Send time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Order and delivery updates only | Transactional | As they happen |
| Wednesday | Mid-week offer to the opted-in list | Promotional | 10:00 |
| Friday (payday weeks) | Weekend offer, same theme as Wednesday | Promotional | 12:00 |
| Saturday | Loyalty points reminder to active members | Promotional | 09:00 |
| Any day | Click-and-collect ready, delivery, refunds | Transactional | Immediately |
Month-end paydays, the start of each school term, Independence Day on 24 October and the festive season are natural moments for offers in Zambia. Plan them in advance, schedule them in the dashboard and use the campaign approval step so a manager signs off every promotion before it goes out.
Segment instead of blasting
Sending fewer, better-targeted messages costs less and draws fewer opt-outs. Import your customer list from Excel or CSV with columns such as store, last purchase date and loyalty tier, then build segments: customers of one store for a store-opening offer, customers who bought school items last January for the new term, lapsed customers for a "we miss you" message. Personalise with merge fields such as {{name}}, but never insert anything a customer would consider private.
Measuring results honestly
SMS has no open tracking, so measure what you can verify: clicks on eSMS short links, redemptions of a code printed in the message, and sales in the targeted store against a similar week without a message. Compare those against the opt-out count for the same campaign. A promotion that brings sales and many opt-outs may cost you more over a year than it earned in a weekend.
Costs
A one-segment SMS to a Zambian number costs ZMW 0.2104 ($0.0104) at the basic tier, ZMW 0.1942 at the business tier and ZMW 0.18 at the enterprise tier. A message over 160 characters, or one with an emoji or a curly quote, costs two or more segments. Sender ID registration in Zambia is a one-time USD 100 covering MTN, Airtel and Zamtel. Top up by card, Airtel Money or MTN MoMo; see the pricing page and our guide to calculating bulk SMS cost.
Checklist before every promotion
- Only opted-in customers in the audience; opted-out numbers excluded automatically.
- Brand name first; registered sender ID.
- Working opt-out in the message (two-way short code or link).
- Scheduled between 07:00 and 20:00; no other promotion to the same customer that day.
- Prices and dates checked against the shelf and the website.
- One segment, no emoji, no curly quotes.
- Approved by a manager in the dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
Is the ZICTA 2011 directive still in force?
We have not found a public statement from ZICTA confirming or withdrawing it, so its current force is unverified. Following it costs little and keeps you on the safe side of networks and customers.
Can I send order updates at night?
Yes. Order confirmations, delivery updates and refunds are transactional. The daytime limit applies to promotions.
Can customers reply STOP to my sender ID?
Not on a standard alphanumeric sender ID, which cannot receive replies. Use a two-way short code, which can be ordered online for Zambia, or an opt-out link.
Do I need consent to text existing customers about offers?
Treat consent as required. The ZICTA directive expects an opt-in or opt-out option, and the Data Protection Act requires a lawful basis for using a customer's number for marketing. Record when and where each customer agreed.
Sources
- ITWeb - ZICTA limits spam (2011 directive)
- Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA)
- Data Protection Act No. 3 of 2021 (ZambiaLII)
- Published SMS guidelines for Zambia: sender IDs, consent and opt-out
See templates and compliance notes on our page for retail and e-commerce SMS in Zambia, read what the Data Protection Commissioner expects and our Lusaka bulk SMS guide, check sender ID registration in Zambia, then create a free account.
