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A Sender ID is the name or number your recipients see in the From field of your messages. For SMS and WhatsApp, Zexa requires you to register and receive approval for each Sender ID before use. Unregistered Sender IDs cannot be used to send messages on these channels.

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What is a Sender ID?

Sender IDs come in two forms:
TypeFormatExample
AlphanumericUp to 11 characters — letters and digits onlyMYBRAND, ZEXA, SHOPAO
NumericFull phone number in E.164 format+244912000000
Alphanumeric IDs display your brand name and are typically used for marketing and notifications. Numeric IDs are phone numbers and support two-way messaging (recipients can reply). Choose the type that fits your use case when submitting a registration.

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Register a Sender ID

1

Open Sender ID registration

In the Zexa dashboard, go to Settings > Sender IDs > Register New.
2

Enter your Sender ID

Type your desired Sender ID (e.g. MYBRAND). For alphanumeric IDs, use only letters and digits with no spaces or special characters, up to 11 characters.
3

Select the channel

Choose whether this Sender ID is for SMS or WhatsApp. Each channel requires a separate registration, even if you use the same name.
4

Specify the intended use

Select the primary use case for this Sender ID:
  • Transactional — order confirmations, delivery alerts, account notifications
  • Marketing — promotional messages, offers, announcements
  • OTP — one-time passwords and authentication codes
5

Submit for approval

Review your details and click Submit. Zexa’s compliance team will review your application and notify you by email.

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Approval process

After submission, your Sender ID enters a review queue. The typical timeline is 1–3 business days. You will receive an email notification when:
  • Your Sender ID is approved and ready to use, or
  • Additional information is required — in which case, log in to the dashboard and respond to the request under Settings > Sender IDs.
You can check the current status of any Sender ID at any time from the dashboard or via the API (see below).

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Sender ID rules

Follow these rules to avoid rejection or suspension:
  • Do not impersonate banks, government agencies, telcos, or other established brands.
  • Maximum 11 characters for alphanumeric SMS Sender IDs.
  • No spaces or special characters — only letters (A–Z, a–z) and digits (0–9).
  • Your Sender ID must reflect your actual brand or company name. Generic or misleading names are rejected.
  • WhatsApp Sender IDs must be linked to a verified WhatsApp Business Account.
Using an unapproved Sender ID or one that impersonates another organisation violates Zexa’s Terms of Use and may result in immediate account suspension. Always wait for approval before using a Sender ID in a campaign.

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List registered Sender IDs via API

Retrieve all Sender IDs associated with your account using a GET request:
curl
curl --request GET \
  --url https://api.zexa.ao/v1/sender-ids \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer <api_key>"

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "sid_001",
      "sender_id": "MYBRAND",
      "channel": "sms",
      "status": "approved",
      "created_at": "2026-05-10T08:30:00Z"
    },
    {
      "id": "sid_002",
      "sender_id": "MYBRAND",
      "channel": "whatsapp",
      "status": "pending",
      "created_at": "2026-06-20T14:00:00Z"
    }
  ]
}
status valueMeaning
pendingUnder review by the Zexa compliance team.
approvedReady to use in campaigns and messages.
rejectedNot approved. Check the dashboard for the rejection reason.
A Sender ID approved for SMS cannot automatically be used for WhatsApp. Each channel requires its own registration and approval. The API response reflects separate records per channel, as shown above.

Campaigns

Launch broadcast campaigns using your approved Sender IDs.

Contacts

Build and manage the contact lists your Sender ID messages are delivered to.

Templates

Create approved WhatsApp templates to pair with your WhatsApp Sender ID.