Sender IDs
Get your SMS sender ID in Kenya
A sender ID is the brand name recipients see instead of a number. Here is exactly what it takes, what it costs, and how fast you can start sending under your own name.
Three things, and you are live
- 1
Pay the one-off fee
A custom sender ID costs KES 7,000, paid once with M-Pesa. There is no renewal or monthly charge.
- 2
Send your company registration
Share your certificate of incorporation. The networks require proof that the brand name is yours.
- 3
Choose your sender name
Pick the name recipients will see, up to 11 characters, for example PESARAILS or MYSHOP. We submit it to Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom.
Turnaround
Live in 48 hours, 4 days at most
Once we have your fee, documents and chosen name, we submit to all three networks. Most sender IDs are approved within two days. We tell you the moment yours is active, and you can send immediately.
Good to know before you apply
Up to 11 characters
Sender names are capped at 11 characters with no spaces, so pick something short and recognisable.
Match your brand
The name must be one your business owns. The networks reject names that impersonate others.
Promotional vs transactional
Marketing messages follow set sending hours. OTPs and alerts can go any time on the transactional path.
Claim your sender name
Start the request today and send under your own brand this week.
Request a sender ID