What is AfriLink Pay?

AfriLink Pay is a pan-African payments infrastructure that lets you:

• Send money to any of the 54 African countries in seconds
• Pay using mobile money (M-Pesa, MTN MoMo, Airtel, Orange), bank transfer, QR code, or payment link
• Receive international transfers from the African diaspora in Europe, North America, and the Middle East
• Accept payments as a merchant — no card terminal required
• Operate as a cash agent, earning commissions on every transaction

How to Make Your First Payment

1. 1
   Choose your corridorSelect the country you are sending from and the country you are sending to. AfriLink shows you all available payment rails for that corridor.
2. 2
   Select a payment railChoose how the money should travel — mobile money, bank transfer, cash pickup, QR, or a payment link. Each option shows the estimated fee and delivery time upfront.
3. 3
   Enter receiver detailsType the recipient's phone number, bank account, or scan their QR code. For cash pickup, enter the receiver's name and ID number.
4. 4
   Confirm and payReview the amount, FX rate, and fee summary. Tap Pay Now to initiate the transfer. You receive a payment ID immediately.

Supported Countries

AfriLink Pay supports all 54 African Union member states. Countries with active live provider connections are highlighted.

Supported Currencies

AfriLink Pay supports all major African currencies plus international settlement currencies. Exchange rates are refreshed every 5 minutes from live market data.

Payment Limits

Limits may vary by country corridor based on local regulations (CBN, CBK, BOG). Higher limits require enhanced KYC documents.

Step-by-Step Payment Wizard Guide

Step 1 — Corridor: Select the source country (where the money comes from) and destination country. The app automatically loads available payment rails for that corridor.

Step 2 — Rail: Choose how the money travels. Each rail shows the fee, FX rate, and estimated delivery time before you commit.

Step 3 — Receiver: Enter recipient details. For mobile money, this is a phone number. For bank transfers, you need an account number and bank name. For cash pickup, enter the receiver's full name.

Step 4 — Confirm: Review all details, then tap Pay Now. A payment ID is issued immediately. Keep this ID — you can use it to track status or contact support.

Choosing a Payment Rail

Understanding FX Rates and Fees

AfriLink shows you a total cost summary before you confirm any payment. There are two components:

• FX Rate: The live mid-market exchange rate with a small platform spread (typically 1–2%). Rates are refreshed every 5 minutes.
• Transaction Fee: A flat fee or percentage depending on the rail and corridor. Always shown upfront — no hidden charges.

Payment Status Meanings

What to Do If a Payment Fails

1. Note the Payment ID from your confirmation screen.
2. Check the failure reason in your transaction history (if shown).
3. Common reasons: incorrect receiver number, account number mismatch, receiver's wallet is full, provider downtime.
4. You will not be charged for failed payments — funds are returned to your wallet within 24 hours.
5. If the issue persists, contact support at support@afrilinkpay.com with your Payment ID.

Creating a Payment Link

1. 1
   Log into your merchant dashboardGo to /merchant and sign in with your merchant API key.
2. 2
   Go to Payment LinksClick Payment Links in the sidebar, then + New Link.
3. 3
   Set the detailsEnter a name, description, and choose fixed or flexible amount. Set an optional expiry date and maximum usage count.
4. 4
   Copy and shareYour link is generated instantly. Share via WhatsApp, email, Instagram bio, or embed in your website.

Sharing Your Payment Link

Payment links work in any browser — the payer does not need an AfriLink account. Share via:

• Direct URL (copy and paste)
• QR code (generated automatically — see below)
• WhatsApp, Telegram, or email
• Embed on your website as a button: <a href="YOUR_LINK">Pay Now</a>
• Social media bio links

Setting Fixed vs Flexible Amounts

Expiry & Limits

• Expiry date: The link stops working after this date/time. Leave blank for no expiry.
• Max uses: Limit how many times the link can be used (e.g. 1 for a one-time invoice). Leave blank for unlimited.

QR Codes

Every payment link automatically generates a QR code. Download it as PNG or SVG from the Payment Links section of your dashboard. Print it on your counter, invoice, or business card.

How QR Payments Work

1. 1
   Merchant displays QR codePrinted on counter, shown on phone screen, or embedded in a payment link.
2. 2
   Customer scans with their phoneUsing AfriLink app or any QR scanner — it opens the payment page in the browser.
3. 3
   Enter amount and confirmFor flexible-amount QRs, the payer enters the amount. For fixed QRs, just tap Confirm.
4. 4
   Payment is instantMerchant receives a notification within seconds. Transaction appears in the dashboard immediately.

Scanning a QR Code

Any standard smartphone QR scanner or camera app will open the payment page. No special AfriLink app is required for payers.

Offline QR (Works Without Internet)

AfriLink's offline QR feature lets merchants accept payments even when their internet is down:

1. The merchant generates an offline QR code from their dashboard — this embeds a signed payment nonce in the QR.
2. Customer scans the QR; their browser stores the payment intent locally.
3. When connectivity returns, the browser automatically submits the stored payment to POST /api/qr/redeem.
4. Each QR nonce is single-use — cannot be replayed or double-charged.

Generating a QR for Your Business

Go to your merchant dashboard → Offline QR section → click Generate Offline QR. Download the PNG or SVG and print it. For a standard (online) QR, go to Payment Links and click the QR icon next to any link.

Creating a Merchant Account

1. 1
   Contact your AfriLink administratorMerchant accounts are created by platform administrators. Reach out to your AfriLink contact or email merchants@afrilinkpay.com.
2. 2
   Receive your API keyYou'll receive a merchant API key by email. Store it securely — treat it like a password.
3. 3
   Complete KYCLog into the merchant dashboard and complete identity verification to unlock higher transaction limits.

Dashboard Overview

The merchant dashboard at /merchant gives you a full view of your business:

• Overview — total revenue, transaction count, recent activity
• Transactions — searchable, filterable history of all payments
• Payment Links — create and manage shareable payment links
• FX Rates — live rates for your corridors
• Integrations — connect third-party tools
• Team — invite team members with role-based access
• KYC — document verification status
• Bills — pay utility bills and airtime

Integrations and API Keys

Use your merchant API key to integrate AfriLink into your website or app:

curl -X POST https://afrilinkpay.com/api/pay \
  -H "X-Merchant-API-Key: your_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "fromCode": "NG",
    "toCode": "KE",
    "railId": "mobile_money",
    "amount": 5000,
    "currency": "NGN",
    "receiver": "+254712345678"
  }'

For the full API spec, see the API Reference section or download the OpenAPI YAML.

Webhook Setup

AfriLink sends webhooks to your server when payment status changes. To set up webhooks:

1. Go to Settings in your merchant dashboard.
2. Enter your webhook URL (must be publicly reachable HTTPS).
3. AfriLink will POST a signed JSON payload to your URL on every payment event.

See the Webhooks API reference for payload formats and event types.

Viewing Transactions

From the Transactions section, you can:

• Filter by status, date range, amount range, or corridor
• Download transaction history as CSV
• Click any transaction to see full details including the payment ID, provider reference, and timestamps

Team Management

Invite team members with different roles:

Bill Payments

Merchants can pay utility bills and buy airtime directly from the dashboard:

• Electricity (prepaid/postpaid)
• Water
• Airtime top-up (all African operators)
• Pay-TV (DSTV, GoTV, StarTimes)
• Internet/data bundles

Go to Bills in your merchant dashboard, select the bill type, enter the account number, and confirm payment.

Subscription Billing

AfriLink supports recurring payment schedules for subscription businesses:

• Create subscription plans with weekly, monthly, or annual billing
• Customers subscribe via a payment link
• AfriLink auto-charges on schedule and sends renewal receipts
• Failed renewal payments trigger automatic retry (up to 3 attempts)

What is an AfriLink Agent?

An AfriLink agent is a registered individual or business that offers cash-in and cash-out services in their community. Agents:

• Accept cash from senders and initiate digital transfers on their behalf
• Pay out cash to receivers of incoming transfers
• Earn commissions on every transaction they process
• Serve communities that lack bank branches or reliable mobile money agents

Agent Registration

1. 1
   Apply to your AfriLink regional managerContact your country's AfriLink representative. You'll need a valid government ID and proof of business address.
2. 2
   Complete KYCSubmit your national ID, business registration (if applicable), and a selfie for biometric verification.
3. 3
   Receive your agent code and credentialsYou'll receive an agent code and a phone-linked login. Use these to access the agent portal at /agent.
4. 4
   Fund your floatDeposit initial float (the cash pool you use to pay out to receivers). Minimum float varies by region.

Float Management

What is Float?

Float is the pool of digital currency you hold to pay out cash to receivers. When you pay out cash, your digital float decreases by the same amount. When a sender deposits cash with you, your float increases.

How to Top Up Float

• Transfer from your personal mobile money wallet or bank account to your AfriLink agent account
• Receive a float top-up from the AfriLink back-office (for authorized agents)
• Monitor your float balance in the agent dashboard at all times — never let it drop to zero

Processing Cash-In / Cash-Out

Cash-In (Sender deposits cash with agent)

1. Sender presents cash and provides receiver details (phone number or payment code).
2. Agent logs into the agent portal → Record Contribution.
3. Enter the amount and receiver details, then confirm. The platform routes the funds digitally to the receiver.
4. Agent's digital float increases by the deposited amount.

Cash-Out (Receiver collects cash from agent)

1. Receiver presents their payment code (received via SMS or in-app).
2. Agent verifies the receiver's identity (check their ID against the payment details).
3. Agent logs into portal → Cash Payout → enter the payment code.
4. Confirm the payout. Agent's digital float decreases; cash is handed to receiver.

Earning Commissions

Agents earn a percentage commission on every transaction they process:

Commission Payout

Commissions accrue daily and are paid out weekly to your registered mobile money wallet or bank account. You can view your earned commissions and pending payouts in the Commissions section of the agent portal.

Open Banking (Account Linking)

Open Banking lets you connect your bank account directly to AfriLink, enabling faster payments without manual bank transfers. Powered by Mono (Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana) and Okra (Nigeria).

1. Go to Open Banking in your merchant dashboard.
2. Click Connect Account — a secure consent window opens.
3. Log into your bank with your online banking credentials (AfriLink never sees your password).
4. Once connected, you can initiate direct debit payments for your customers.

Stablecoin Payments (USDC/USDT)

For large cross-border transfers, AfriLink can route payments through USDC or USDT stablecoins as a settlement layer. This avoids volatile FX rates and enables near-instant settlement across borders.

• Bitnob: Handles NGN ↔ USDC conversion in Nigeria
• Yellow Card: Supports USDC in 20+ African countries
• Kotani Pay: USDC → mobile money in East Africa

Stablecoin payments are available as a rail option in supported corridors. No crypto wallet required for the receiver.

Diaspora Transfers

Send money home from Europe, North America, or the Middle East directly to Africa via AfriLink:

• Supported send currencies: USD, EUR, GBP
• Payout in local currency to mobile money or bank account
• Powered by Wise and WorldRemit corridors
• Typical delivery: minutes (mobile money) or 1–2 business days (bank)

Credit & BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later)

AfriLink's credit scoring engine assesses your eligibility for short-term credit based on your transaction history, device signals, and KYC level. BNPL lets you split purchases into installments.

• Apply from your merchant or customer dashboard
• Instant credit decision (usually under 30 seconds)
• Repayment via mobile money on schedule
• Builds your AfriLink credit score for future higher limits

USSD (Feature Phone Payments)

No smartphone? No problem. AfriLink works on any mobile phone via USSD:

1. Dial *XXX# (your country's AfriLink shortcode) on any mobile phone.
2. Follow the menu prompts to send money, check balance, or pay bills.
3. No internet connection required — works on 2G.

How Gift Cards Work

1. Issue: Choose an amount and currency. That value is debited from your wallet immediately and locked into the card.
2. Share: You receive a one-time code in the form AFL-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX plus a QR code. Send it via WhatsApp, Telegram, or any channel you like.
3. Redeem: The recipient enters the code (or scans the QR) in their wallet and the amount is credited instantly. Anyone with an AfriLink wallet — individual, merchant, or agent — can redeem.

Issuing a Gift Card

Open your wallet, tap 🎁 Gift Cards → Issue, and fill in:

• Amount & currency — debited from your wallet balance.
• Card design — Default, Birthday, Business, or Celebration.
• Message (optional, up to 160 characters) — shown to the recipient on redemption.
• PIN (optional) — a 4–8 digit code the recipient must enter to redeem. Share it separately for extra security.
• Lock to @handle (optional) — only that specific @handle can redeem the card.
• Expiry — 3, 6, 12 (default), or 24 months.

Branding (optional): merchants can add a logo (https URL), brand name, and primary/accent colours so the gift card and its redemption page carry their brand.

Scheduled delivery (optional): set a recipient @handle and a future date/time. The card is issued (and your wallet debited) now, then automatically delivered into the recipient's wallet at the chosen time — no code to share.

Print / PDF (physical cards): after issuing — or after a CSV import — use Print / PDF to open a print-ready card (or full sheet) and save it as a PDF for physical gift-card programs.

Redeeming a Gift Card

1. Open your wallet and tap 🎁 Gift Cards → Redeem.
2. Enter the code (and the PIN, if the card is PIN-protected).
3. The amount is credited to your wallet in the card's currency, instantly.

You can check any code before redeeming — the public verify step confirms the amount, remaining balance, currency, and whether it's still valid, without revealing who issued it.

Partial & Multi-Currency Redemption

• Partial redemption: you don't have to spend the whole card at once. Enter an Amount to redeem smaller than the balance and the rest stays live on the card for later — redeem it across as many visits as you like until it's used up. Leave the amount blank to redeem the full remaining balance.
• Multi-currency redemption: choose Receive in a different currency and the card's value is converted to your chosen currency at AfriLink's live FX rate (a small spread applies) and credited to your wallet in that currency.

Managing & Cancelling

• My cards: the Gift Cards panel lists every card you've issued with its status — active, redeemed, expired, or cancelled.
• Cancel: an unredeemed (active) card can be cancelled at any time. An admin-initiated cancellation refunds the locked value back to your wallet.
• Expiry: cards auto-expire after the period you chose. Expired cards can no longer be redeemed.

Limits & Security

• Per-card value is capped by your KYC tier (Tier 0 → $50, Tier 1 → $500, Tier 2 → $5,000, Tier 3 → unlimited).
• You can issue up to 10 gift cards per 24 hours.
• Every code is generated from 256-bit randomness and stored only as a SHA-256 hash. Each card can be redeemed exactly once — double-spends are physically impossible.

💍 NFC Wearables

AfriLink NFC wearables (wristbands, key fobs, stickers) contain a tiny chip that stores a unique tag ID linked to your AfriLink wallet. A tap triggers an instant payment or lets someone send money to you.

Two Tap Modes

Getting Your Wearable

1. Visit the NFC Tags section of your dashboard or the Wearables page.
2. Generate a tag, write it to your wearable using the AfriLink app or any NFC writer.
3. Set a spending limit and optional PIN requirement in your account settings.

📟 Tap to Pay at a Terminal

When a merchant or agent has the AfriLink POS Terminal open, you can pay them instantly with your wearable — no cash, no phone unlock.

1. 1
   Merchant opens the POSThey enter the amount on their phone at /pos and the terminal is ready to receive a tap.
2. 2
   You tap your wearableTouch your AfriLink wristband or key fob to the back of their NFC-enabled Android phone. The reading takes under 1 second.
3. 3
   Your identity is resolvedThe server maps your tag ID to your @handle, checks your wallet balance, and verifies your spending limit.
4. 4
   Payment completesYour wallet is debited and the merchant's wallet is credited atomically. Both parties see a confirmation screen within 2–3 seconds.

What happens if I don't have enough balance?

The payment is declined immediately and the merchant's terminal shows an insufficient funds error. Your wallet is not debited. Top up your balance from the app or via your bank/mobile money before retrying.

Is there a limit per tap?

Default limits apply per your KYC tier. You can set a personal per-tap limit in Account → NFC Wearables → Spending Limit. Larger amounts may require confirming a PIN on your phone.

🔄 No-NFC Fallback

The AfriLink POS Terminal works on any smartphone — NFC is auto-detected and used when available, but there are two additional methods for iOS devices and older Android phones:

KYC Verification Guide

Know Your Customer (KYC) verification is required by financial regulators in all African countries where AfriLink operates. It protects you and the platform from fraud and money laundering.

What Documents Are Needed?

Why Is KYC Required?

KYC is mandated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), Bank of Ghana (BOG), and all other national regulators. It prevents financial crime and protects users from fraud.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Enable 2FA to protect your account with a time-based one-time password (TOTP) from an authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Authy, etc.).

1. Go to Settings → Security → Enable 2FA.
2. Scan the QR code with your authenticator app.
3. Enter the 6-digit code to confirm setup.
4. From now on, every login requires a 6-digit code from your app.

Transaction Limits and What Triggers Review

Large transactions may be placed under review by AfriLink's compliance team. This typically happens when:

• A transaction exceeds your current KYC tier limit
• Multiple large transactions occur in a short period (structuring signals)
• The transaction corridor is flagged under AfriLink's AML policy
• AI risk scoring flags the transaction for manual review

If your transaction is under review, you will receive an email/SMS notification. The funds are held securely and the review typically completes within 1–2 business days.

Data Privacy (GDPR/NDPR Compliance)

AfriLink processes personal data in accordance with:

• NDPR — Nigeria Data Protection Regulation
• GDPR — EU General Data Protection Regulation (for EU-resident users)
• Kenya Data Protection Act 2019
• POPIA — South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act

You have the right to request a copy of your data, correct inaccurate data, or request deletion of your account. Submit a data request by emailing privacy@afrilinkpay.com.

How to Report Suspicious Activity

1. Do not complete any transaction you believe is suspicious.
2. Email security@afrilinkpay.com immediately with the payment ID and a description.
3. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact support to freeze it immediately.
4. For fraud involving impersonation of AfriLink, report to your national financial intelligence unit (e.g. NFIU in Nigeria, FIU-Kenya).

Authentication

Two API key types are supported:

# Example authenticated request
curl -X GET https://afrilinkpay.com/api/payments \
  -H "X-Merchant-API-Key: your_merchant_key"

Rate Limits

Default rate limits apply to all endpoints:

• 100 requests per 1-minute window per IP address
• Limits are returned in response headers: X-RateLimit-Limit, X-RateLimit-Remaining, X-RateLimit-Reset
• Exceeding the limit returns HTTP 429 Too Many Requests

Contact your AfriLink account manager for elevated rate limits for production integrations.

Webhooks

Webhook Events

Payload Format

{
  "event": "payment.completed",
  "paymentId": "pay_abc123",
  "status": "completed",
  "amount": 5000,
  "currency": "NGN",
  "fromCode": "NG",
  "toCode": "KE",
  "timestamp": "2026-05-18T10:00:00.000Z"
}

Signature Verification

// Node.js example
const crypto = require('crypto')
const sig = req.headers['x-afrilink-signature']
const expected = crypto
  .createHmac('sha256', WEBHOOK_SECRET)
  .update(JSON.stringify(req.body))
  .digest('hex')
if (!crypto.timingSafeEqual(Buffer.from(sig), Buffer.from(expected))) {
  return res.status(401).send('Invalid signature')
}

Error Codes

Contact Support

When contacting support, always include your Payment ID, the amount, and the date of the transaction. This allows us to resolve your issue fastest.