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Overview

Payaza provides a single, unified API for businesses to collect payments — via cards, mobile money, and virtual accounts — and send transfers across Africa. This guide walks you through everything you need to set up your account, retrieve your API keys, and make your first API call.

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Environment

Payaza operates a single platform with one dashboard and one API base URL.
Business Dashboardhttps://business.payaza.africa
API Base URLhttps://api.payaza.africa/live/
Authorization HeadersValue
AuthorizationPayaza <Your Public API key encoded in base 64>
X-TenantIDtest or live
X-ProductIDThe default value is app. This doesn’t change.
The /live/ segment in the base URL is a fixed path prefix — it does not change between test and live.
Some APIs require different authorization headers before requests can be made. Kindly review the API reference to know which ones apply

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Prerequisites

Before you can make your first API call, make sure you have the following in place: 1. A Payaza business account Sign up or log in at business.payaza.africa. This is needed to have access to your dashboard.. 2. Completed KYB verification Your business must pass the Know Your Business (KYB) verification to have production access. This is required before you can make live API requests. Test API requests can be made while this is in progress. 3. Generate Your API Keys Generate your API Keys using the Payaza dashboard

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Step 1 — Create your account

1

Go to the Payaza business dashboard

Visit business.payaza.africa and sign up for a business account, or log in if you already have one.
2

Complete your business profile

Fill in your business details and submit the required KYB documents. You can begin testing in the test environment while this is under review by our Onboarding team.

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Step 2 — Generate your API keys

1

Log in to the dashboard

Go to business.payaza.africa and log in.
2

Navigate to the Developers page

Open *Settings → Developers which is located on the left side-bar of the dashboard.
3

Generate your API Keys

Select the Generate Keys Button to generate your API keys, which can also be copied.- Kindly switch to Test Mode to retrieve your test keys.
Always make live API calls from your server. If a key is ever compromised, rotate it immediately from the dashboard and update your integration.
For a full explanation of how authentication works and how to set the Authorization header correctly, see the Authentication guide.

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Step 3 — Make your first API call

A sample that shows how authorization headers are sent for Transsfers 
{
  "Authorization": "Payaza <Your Public API key encoded in base 64>",
  "X-TenantID": "test",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
}
The Authorization header uses the format Payaza <key> — not Bearer. This is different from most APIs. A missing or incorrectly formatted key is the most common cause of 401 Unauthorized errors.
Here is a minimal test request to verify your key is working — it fetches your Payaza account details: 
curl --request GET \
  --url https://api.payaza.africa/live/payaza-account/api/v1/mainaccounts \
  --header 'Authorization: Payaza <Your Public API key encoded in base 64>' \
  --header 'X-TenantID: test'
A successful response returns your account details including your account_reference and available balance — confirming your key is valid and the account is active.

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Step 4 — Configure your webhooks

Webhooks are how Payaza notifies your server of payment outcomes — including card charges, mobile money collections, virtual account payments, and transfers.
1

Build a webhook endpoint

Create a POST endpoint on your server that can receive and parse JSON payloads. It must be publicly reachable over HTTPS.
2

Save your URL in the dashboard

Go to Settings → Developers → Webhooks in the dashboard and enter your webhook URL.
3

Verify the signature

Every webhook payload includes a signature header. Always verify it before processing the payload to confirm it came from Payaza.
See the Webhooks guide for the full setup instructions, signature verification steps, and event payload examples.

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Step 5 — Go live checklist

A simple Go-Live checklsist
Checklist item
☐KYB verification approved
☐Live API key retrieved from the dashboard
☐Webhook URL saved and signature verification implemented
☐Server IP address(es) whitelisted under Settings → Developers (required for the Initiate A Transfer API)
☐Transaction PIN set up (required for the Initiate A Transfer API)
☐PND restriction lifted by emailing support@payaza.africa when a PIN reset is made (Transfers only)
☐Full payment and failure flows tested in test environment
☐Unique transaction_reference generated per request

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What to build next

Once your account is set up and your first test call is working, explore the guides for each product:

Authentication

How API keys work, the Authorization header format, and key rotation best practices.

Webhooks

Receiving real-time payment notifications, verifying signatures, and handling retries.

Transfers

Send payouts from various countries to a beneficiary account. Covers name enquiry, PIN setup, IP whitelisting, and error handling.

Virtual Accounts

Create Dynamic (one-time) and Reserved (permanent) NGN virtual accounts for collecting bank transfers.

Card Collections

Collect payments via debit and credit cards. Covers 3DS authentication, non-3DS flow, callback handling, and refunds.

Momo, XOF and ZAR Collections

Collect payments via Mobile Money across Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and South Africa.

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Quick answers

What is the API base URL?
  • All requests go to https://api.payaza.africa/live/. The /live/ segment is a fixed path prefix — it does not change.
    • What format does the Authorization header use?
  • Payaza <Your Public API key encoded in base 64> — note it is Payaza, not Bearer.
    • Is IP whitelisting required?
  • Only in the live environment for the “Initiate A Transfer** API. Test environment requests are not IP-restricted.
    • Where do I find my API key?
  • In the dashboard at business.payaza.africa under Settings → Developers → API Keys.
    • Who do I contact for API access or support?
  • Email support@payaza.africa to make enquiries and report issues.