Nigeria Rolls Out Licensing Framework for A2P Messaging to Curb Spam and Revenue Loss

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced the country’s first mandatory licensing regime for Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging, targeting telecom operators, aggregators, and businesses delivering automated SMS services such as bank alerts, OTPs, and service notifications.

Under the new framework, announced on 9 July 2025, firms must pay ₦10 million (US$6,518) for a five-year license to operate in the A2P messaging space. The Commission said the policy aims to curb “grey routing, spam, and revenue leakages” that have plagued the sector due to unregulated traffic.

“Unregulated A2P messaging has created loopholes for grey routing, spam, revenue leakages, and unauthorized delivery paths used to deliver SMS,” the NCC said in a statement. “This licensing regime is designed to close those gaps and enhance consumer protection.”

By Ruvarashe Gora

The framework mandates that all international A2P traffic must now be routed through NCC-approved channels. Businesses will be required to meet strict data protection, encryption, and reporting standards to qualify.

Only firms with a demonstrated record of ethical and secure operations will be considered for licensing, the Commission said, as it moves to centralise A2P message routing to ensure compliance, especially for foreign platforms previously operating outside local oversight.

This move by Nigeria positions the country as a continental leader in digital communication governance and reflects growing efforts across Africa to formalise oversight of emerging ICT services.