Bulk SMS in Senegal works on Orange (Sonatel), Yas (formerly Free) and Expresso, and every marketing campaign needs the recipient's prior consent and an easy way to unsubscribe. The Commission de Protection des Donnees Personnelles (CDP) enforces this under Law 2008-12 and has warned all three operators over unsolicited promotional SMS, while the ARTP regulates the telecoms side.
Last reviewed: 28 October 2026. This article summarises public rules and is not legal advice. Check edge cases with the regulator.
This is the in-depth companion to our short bulk SMS overview for Senegal. It explains what the CDP actually expects, the night-time window the ARTP set for promotional SMS, how to write in French and Wolof without paying for extra parts, and how to set up a campaign step by step.
Senegal at a glance
| Item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Telecoms regulator | ARTP (Autorite de Regulation des Telecommunications et des Postes) |
| Data protection authority | CDP (Commission de Protection des Donnees Personnelles) |
| Key laws | Law 2008-12 on personal data; Law 2008-08 on electronic transactions |
| Mobile networks | Orange (Sonatel), Yas, Expresso |
| Number format | +221 followed by 9 digits, mobiles starting with 7, e.g. +221 77 XXX XX XX |
| Languages | French (official), Wolof (widely spoken) |
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF / FCFA) |
Free is now Yas: update your records
Free Senegal changed its name to Yas in November 2024, as part of a group-wide rebrand by its majority owner Axian that also covered Tigo in Tanzania and Togocom in Togo. Some financial services now run under the Mixx by Yas name. The network and numbers did not change, but customer-facing copy that says "Free Money" or "clients Free" is out of date. If you segment by network in your CRM, rename the label so reports stay readable.
What the CDP expects for SMS marketing
Senegal's data protection authority has been unusually active on SMS. In 2014, after complaints, the CDP sent formal notices to Sonatel and Tigo (now Yas) and a warning to Expresso over promotional messages sent without subscribers' consent. It also set out, at its plenary session of 30 May 2014, the principles it applies to anyone doing direct marketing by SMS:
- Declare the database. The file of numbers used for prospecting must be declared to the CDP under Law 2008-12.
- Get consent first. The person who receives the SMS must have agreed to receive it.
- Allow opt-out at any time. Recipients must be able to ask for messages to stop, and requests should be honoured free of charge and immediately.
The CDP has also reminded businesses to check that their partners have completed the required formalities. If you buy or rent a list, the consent problem is still yours.
Law 2008-08 on electronic transactions adds a separate rule: direct marketing by automated calling system, fax or email using the contact details of a person who has not given prior consent is prohibited, subject to limited exceptions. Read together with the CDP's position, the practical answer for SMS is the same as in Cote d'Ivoire: opt-in first.
The ARTP's night-time window
In a 2019 decision on operator promotions, the ARTP barred unsolicited SMS and advertising messages between 21:00 and 06:00. The decision was addressed to the telecom operators, but it reflects what Senegalese subscribers and regulators consider acceptable. Schedule promotional campaigns between 08:00 and 20:00 and keep night-time sending for OTPs, fraud alerts and genuine emergencies.
Service messages versus marketing
| Message | Category | When to send |
|---|---|---|
| OTP, login and payment codes | Service | Instantly, any hour |
| Transaction alerts and receipts | Service | Instantly, any hour |
| Appointment and delivery reminders | Service | Daytime, the day before or same morning |
| Offers, new products, events | Marketing: consent and opt-out | 08:00 to 20:00 |
Numbers and SIM identification
Senegalese mobile numbers are 9 digits starting with 7, written as +221 followed by the number in E.164. Strip leading zeros and spaces before import. Do not rely on a prefix-to-network table in your code; allocations have changed over the years and the dashboard and delivery reports tell you which network handled each message.
The ARTP periodically enforces subscriber identification, and in March 2025 it began restricting lines that had not been identified. A list that has not been used for a year will carry numbers that have been suspended or recycled. Send a service message first and remove numbers that come back undelivered before you run a marketing campaign. Our guide to receiving delivery reports shows how to automate this.
French and Wolof: encoding and tone
Most business SMS in Senegal is written in French. GSM-7, the standard SMS alphabet, holds 160 characters per message and includes é, è, à and ù. The lower-case ç and circumflex letters such as ê and ô are not in GSM-7, and a single one switches the message to Unicode, which allows only 70 characters per part.
Wolof is a strong choice for reminders to customers outside the formal sector, but its standard Latin spelling uses letters such as ë and ŋ, which are outside GSM-7 (ñ is inside it). You have two options: accept Unicode and keep the message short, or write without diacritics. Pair Wolof with French for anything involving money, and have a native speaker review each template.
A one-part French reminder that stays in GSM-7:
CLINIQUE BAOBAB: rappel RDV demain 10h30 avec Dr Ndiaye, Sacré-Coeur 3. Pour changer: 338000000. Merci
A short bilingual thank-you after payment. The Wolof word is written without diacritics, but the French "reçu" makes this a Unicode message, which is fine because it is under 70 characters:
BOUTIK DIOP: paiement de 12 500 FCFA reçu via Wave. Jerejef! Ref 4471
Payment habits
Wave and Orange Money are the everyday wallets in Senegal, with Mixx by Yas competing for the same customers. A payment reminder that states the amount in FCFA, the wallet and the merchant number in one line gets paid faster than a generic "please settle your account". For receipts, name the wallet the customer used so they can match it against their own history.
Where SMS earns its place
- Microfinance and mutuelles: repayment reminders and savings confirmations.
- Clinics and pharmacies in Dakar: appointment and prescription-ready reminders.
- Retail and delivery: order confirmations and courier ETAs across Dakar, Thies and Saint-Louis.
- Schools and universities: fees, timetables and closure notices.
- Apps and fintechs: OTP codes through eSMS Verify, which generates, sends and checks the code for you.
Sender ID
Register a sender ID that matches your brand, up to 11 characters. Networks typically ask for your company registration (RCCM or NINEA), an authorisation letter and sample messages. eSMS Africa files the registration with each network; see the Senegal sender ID page for the steps and fee. While you wait, you can test on the eSMS default sender.
Sending your first campaign by API
curl -X POST https://sms.esmsafrica.io/api/messages/send \
-H "Authorization: Bearer esms_live_..." \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"to": "+221770000001", "text": "CLINIQUE BAOBAB: rappel RDV demain 10h30.", "sender_id": "BAOBAB"}'
For lists, upload a CSV or Excel file in the dashboard, add merge fields such as {{name}}, and schedule the send for daytime. API details are in the HTTP API docs.
Cost
A one-part SMS to Senegal costs XOF 6.5928 ($0.0113) at the basic tier, with XOF 6.126 and XOF 5.6593 at higher volumes. Unicode messages use more parts, so encoding matters. Pay as you go from USD 20 by card or crypto. See the Senegal coverage page and pricing.
Setup checklist
- Declare your customer database to the CDP, or confirm your existing declaration covers SMS.
- Collect and log opt-in for every marketing contact; never use a bought list.
- Rename "Free" to "Yas" in your CRM and templates.
- Normalise numbers to +221 and 9 digits.
- Register your sender ID with your RCCM or NINEA.
- Write templates in GSM-7 French; decide on Wolof spelling.
- Schedule promotions between 08:00 and 20:00.
- Give an opt-out in every marketing message and honour it at once.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to declare my SMS list to the CDP?
The CDP has stated that the database used for SMS prospecting must be declared under Law 2008-12. Check with the CDP whether your existing declaration covers marketing use.
Can I send promotions at night in Senegal?
The ARTP has barred unsolicited and advertising SMS between 21:00 and 06:00 for operators, and it is sensible to follow the same window. OTPs and alerts can go at any hour.
Is Yas a new network?
No. Yas is the new name of Free Senegal since November 2024. Numbers and coverage are unchanged.
Can I send SMS in Wolof?
Yes. Standard Wolof spelling uses characters outside GSM-7, so either accept Unicode with a 70-character limit or write without diacritics.
Sources
- Osiris - CDP principles for SMS prospecting (June 2014)
- Osiris - CDP warns Expresso over unsolicited promotional SMS (April 2014)
- Osiris - CDP formal notice to Sonatel and Tigo
- Osiris - ARTP decision on operator promotions and the 21:00 to 06:00 window (2019)
- Law 2008-08 of 25 January 2008 on electronic transactions (vie-publique.sn)
- Dakaractu - Free becomes Yas
- Ndarinfo - ARTP subscriber identification sanctions from 18 March 2025
Compare routes on the bulk SMS page for Senegal, then create an account and send a free test with a test key. For high volumes or a short code, contact our team.
