Acceptable Use Policy

This Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP") outlines the permitted and prohibited uses of NigeriaSMS messaging services. This policy exists to protect our clients, their recipients, our platform integrity, and to ensure compliance with Nigerian telecommunications regulations.

All users of NigeriaSMS must comply with this AUP in addition to our Terms of Service.

You must not use NigeriaSMS to send messages containing:

• Spam: Unsolicited commercial messages to recipients who have not opted in.

• Fraud or Scams: Messages designed to deceive, defraud, or mislead recipients, including phishing and advance-fee fraud.

• Illegal Content: Content that violates Nigerian law, including the Cybercrime Act 2015.

• Hate Speech: Content that promotes discrimination, hostility, or violence against individuals or groups.

• Adult Content: Sexually explicit material or services.

• Violence: Content promoting or threatening violence.

• Malware: Links to malicious software, viruses, or harmful websites.

• Impersonation: Messages that falsely represent the identity of the sender or impersonate government agencies, banks, or other entities.

• Gambling: Promotion of unlicensed gambling services in Nigeria.

All marketing and promotional messages must comply with Nigerian consent laws. You must:

• Obtain explicit opt-in consent from recipients before sending promotional messages.

• Maintain records of consent (date, time, method, and scope of consent).

• Provide a clear and easy opt-out mechanism in every promotional message.

• Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours.

• Respect the NCC Do Not Disturb (DND) registry.

• Not purchase or use third-party contact lists without verified consent.

Transactional messages (OTPs, order confirmations, account alerts) do not require marketing consent but must be directly related to the recipient's existing relationship with your business.

• All Sender IDs must be registered and approved by NigeriaSMS and comply with NCC regulations.

• Sender IDs must accurately represent your business identity.

• You must not use Sender IDs that impersonate other businesses, government agencies, or emergency services.

• Generic or misleading Sender IDs will be rejected.

To maintain platform stability and prevent abuse:

• Messaging volumes must remain within your plan limits or agreed capacity.

• Sudden spikes in traffic may be throttled for platform protection.

• API rate limits must be respected; automated retry logic should include exponential backoff.

• Load testing must be coordinated with our technical team in advance.

• API keys and credentials must be stored securely and never exposed in client-side code.

• Webhook endpoints must use HTTPS and validate request signatures.

• You must implement proper error handling and respect HTTP status codes.

• Automated systems must not attempt to circumvent rate limits or security measures.

Financial Services (Banks, Fintech):

• OTP messages must comply with CBN guidelines on electronic authentication.

• Transaction alerts must accurately reflect account activity.

• Marketing messages must comply with CBN consumer protection regulations.

Healthcare:

• Health-related messages must comply with relevant privacy regulations.

• Patient data must be handled with appropriate security measures.

Political Messaging:

• Political campaign messages must comply with INEC regulations.

• Messages must clearly identify the sponsoring political entity.

NigeriaSMS reserves the right to:

• Monitor messaging patterns and content for compliance with this AUP.

• Suspend or block messages that violate this policy without prior notice.

• Suspend or terminate accounts that repeatedly violate this policy.

• Report illegal activity to relevant Nigerian authorities.

• Cooperate with law enforcement investigations.

Violations of this AUP may result in:

• Warning: First-time minor violations may result in a written warning.

• Suspension: Temporary suspension of messaging capabilities.

• Termination: Permanent account termination for serious or repeated violations.

• Financial Penalties: Forfeiture of prepaid credits and potential liability for damages.

• Legal Action: Referral to law enforcement for criminal violations.

If you receive unwanted messages sent through NigeriaSMS or become aware of violations of this AUP, please report them to:

• Email: abuse@nigeriasms.net

• Phone: +260-97-8511820

We investigate all reports within 24 business hours.