SMS for the customers who are not on data

Not everybody is online. SMS reaches any phone in Nigeria, which makes it the right backup for reminders, one time codes and campaigns to older or rural customer lists.

Sender ID registration Naira per unit pricing Fallback from WhatsApp

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Nigerian pharmacist helping a customer with a mobile reminder

Where SMS still wins

Use SMS for the jobs WhatsApp cannot do

Reach Works on every phone Feature phones, no data, weak network. If the line is on, the message lands.

Fallback Automatic WhatsApp fallback If a WhatsApp message is not delivered within your chosen window, DMly sends the same content by SMS.

OTP and alerts Codes and urgent notices Payment confirmations, one time codes and same day alerts that must not sit unread.

Sender ID Your business name on the message We register your alphanumeric sender ID with the networks so the message shows your brand, not a random number.

Pricing and rules

What to know about SMS in Nigeria

How is SMS priced? Per unit in naira, billed from your DMly wallet. Long messages split into multiple units, and we show the unit count before you send.

Do I need a registered sender ID? Yes for branded messages. Registration through the networks takes a few working days and we handle the paperwork.

Side by side

When to use SMS, and when to use WhatsApp

Most businesses need both. Using the wrong one is how you either waste money or miss customers.

The job SMS WhatsApp

Appointment reminder Reliable, no data needed Cheaper, richer, replies possible

OTP and codes Best choice Slower, template bound

Price list with photos Not possible Best choice

Customer on a feature phone Only option Not reachable

Network outage or no data Still lands Queued until data returns

A two-way conversation Clumsy and costly Best choice

Payment link Works, no context Works, with the full thread

Going deeper

Getting SMS right in Nigeria

Sender IDs need registering Nigerian networks require a registered alphanumeric sender ID, and unregistered traffic gets filtered or dropped. We register yours with the networks so your messages arrive as your business name rather than an unknown number.

Do not confuse promotional with transactional Transactional messages, codes, reminders and receipts, are expected and land well. Promotional blasts to purchased lists get complaints, and complaints get your sender ID blocked. NDPR also applies: you need a lawful basis to message someone.

Use it as a fallback, not a strategy The best pattern is WhatsApp first, SMS if undelivered after a set time. DMly does that automatically, so you only pay for SMS on the customers who genuinely needed it, which is usually a small share of your list.

Timing matters more than copy A reminder at 8pm the night before beats one at 6am on the day. A restock alert on a Friday afternoon beats Monday morning. Schedules in DMly respect West Africa Time, not a server in Virginia.

Questions

SMS in DMly

What does a unit cost? It depends on volume and route. We quote per unit in naira, with no markup surprises, and you see delivery reports per message.

Can customers reply? On two-way enabled numbers, yes, and replies land in your team inbox.

Do you support all networks? MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile, using routes that report real delivery status.

Can I send only if WhatsApp fails? Yes. Set the fallback window and DMly handles it per customer.

Add SMS as your safety net

Use it for reminders and codes, and let WhatsApp carry the conversation.

Start free trial See naira pricing