On This Page
- What Is AfriLink Pay?
- The Problem We Solve
- Send Money — How It Works
- Merchant Payments
- Agents — Cash In & Cash Out
- AI Agents — Autonomous Payments
- AfriLink Tap (NFC Wearables)
- POS Terminal — Tap to Pay
- Tap Groups — Family, Events & Corporate
- Pay Identity (@Handles)
- Full Product Suite
- Where Does the Money Go?
- How AfriLink Pay Makes Money
- Compliance & Regulation
- Common Questions
1. What Is AfriLink Pay?
AfriLink Pay is a pan-African payments infrastructure platform. We connect 54 countries, 7 payment rails, and hundreds of millions of people through a single unified layer — so that anyone in Africa can send, receive, and manage money as easily as sending a text message.
AfriLink Pay operates as a money services business and API platform simultaneously. Retail users can send money directly through the app or web interface. Businesses can integrate the API to accept payments or disburse funds. Third-party developers build their own fintech products on top of AfriLink's infrastructure.
2. The Problem We Solve
Fragmented infrastructure
Every country in Africa has different mobile money operators, banks, and payment providers. A Kenyan M-Pesa user cannot send money directly to a Ghanaian MTN MoMo user. AfriLink Pay bridges these fragmented systems into one unified corridor.
Expensive remittances
The global average remittance cost to Africa is over 8%. AfriLink Pay competes directly with traditional remittance operators using real-time FX rates and a lean fee structure that saves senders money on every transfer.
Financial exclusion
57% of sub-Saharan Africa lacks reliable internet access. AfriLink Pay works on USSD feature phones with zero data required, offline QR codes, and NFC wearables — meeting users where they actually are.
Developer friction
Businesses wanting to accept African payments must integrate dozens of separate country-specific providers. AfriLink Pay's single API handles all 54 countries, routing each transaction automatically to the optimal provider.
3. Send Money — How It Works
Sending money across borders is AfriLink Pay's core product. Here is the full journey of a transfer from Ghana to Nigeria in plain language.
The sender opens the AfriLink Pay app (or any merchant app built on the AfriLink API), enters the recipient's phone number or @handle, the amount, and selects a reason for the transfer. No bank account required — a mobile wallet or even a USSD session works.
Before moving any money, AfriLink runs an automated compliance check: identity verification (KYC), AML screening against OFAC/UN/local watchlists, and transaction limits enforced per corridor. This typically completes in under 300 ms.
AfriLink fetches a real-time foreign exchange rate for the corridor (e.g. GHS → NGN). The rate is guaranteed for the duration of the transaction. The sender sees exactly how much the recipient will receive before confirming.
AfriLink's routing engine chooses the optimal payment rail automatically — mobile money (MTN MoMo, Airtel, M-Pesa, Orange Money), bank transfer, cash pickup, stablecoin settlement, or open banking. Selection is based on cost, speed, success rate, and recipient preference.
The payment provider in the recipient's country delivers funds to the recipient's wallet, bank account, or cash pickup point. Delivery is typically instant for mobile money and 1–2 business days for bank transfers to slow markets.
Both sender and recipient receive push notifications and (optionally) SMS/email confirmations. A full transaction record is available in the app. The sender can also share a unique payment receipt link.
Send Money — Money Flow
7 Payment Rails Supported
4. Merchant Payments
Businesses use AfriLink Pay to accept payments from customers anywhere in Africa — online, in-store, or via API. AfriLink issues each merchant a unique Merchant API Key which identifies their account on the platform.
API & Webhooks
Integrate AfriLink Pay into any website or app in minutes. Accept payments, initiate payouts, and receive real-time settlement notifications via webhooks for Paystack, MTN, Orange Money, Flutterwave, and more.
Payment Links
Generate a shareable URL (no code required) that lets any customer pay from any country. Ideal for freelancers, SMEs, and NGOs collecting donations or invoices across borders.
Drop-in SDK
Embed AfriLink's pre-built payment UI into any mobile or web app with 3 lines of code. Handles KYC, FX rate display, rail selection, and receipt generation automatically.
Merchant Dashboard
Real-time view of all transactions, settlement reports, team member access controls, API key management, and KYC submission. White-label theming available for resellers.
QR Code Checkout
Every merchant gets a unique QR code. Customers scan it with any phone to initiate payment. Works offline — QR codes encode the payment parameters directly, no internet needed at point of sale.
Team Access
Owners can invite staff as managers, viewers, or support roles — each with scoped access. API keys issued to staff are cryptographically scoped to prevent privilege escalation.
How Merchant Money Flows
When a customer pays a merchant through AfriLink Pay:
- The customer initiates payment (card, mobile money, bank transfer, wallet, or USSD).
- AfriLink's payment processor (Paystack, Flutterwave, MTN, etc.) collects the funds.
- AfriLink deducts the platform tariff (a percentage of the transaction value, set per corridor and product tier).
- The net amount is credited to the merchant's AfriLink settlement wallet.
- The merchant requests a payout — funds are disbursed to their nominated bank account or mobile wallet, typically within 1–2 business days (instant in some markets).
5. Agents — Cash In & Cash Out
AfriLink Pay's Agent Network connects unbanked individuals to the digital economy through a network of human agents — shop owners, petrol stations, market traders, and kiosks — who hold digital float and facilitate cash-in and cash-out transactions on behalf of users.
Cash In (Deposit)
A customer walks up to an AfriLink agent, hands over cash, and provides their @handle or phone number. The agent enters the amount on their AfriLink Agent dashboard, and the equivalent digital value is instantly credited to the customer's AfriLink wallet. No bank account needed.
Cash Out (Withdrawal)
A customer with an AfriLink wallet balance requests a cash withdrawal from an agent. AfriLink debits the customer's wallet and credits the agent's float account. The agent hands over the physical cash. Useful for recipients of remittances who prefer cash.
Agent Float Management
Agents maintain a float — a pre-funded digital balance held in their AfriLink Agent account. When an agent performs a cash-in, their float increases. When they do a cash-out, their float decreases. Agents replenish their float by depositing cash at a bank or super-agent point.
Agent Commissions
Agents earn a commission on each completed transaction — a small percentage of the transaction value. Commission rates are set per transaction type and country. Commissions accumulate in the agent's earnings balance and are paid out periodically (daily or weekly) to their registered bank account or mobile wallet.
6. AI Agents — Autonomous Payments
AfriLink Pay AI Agents are software bots (not humans) that can initiate and approve payments autonomously, within rules defined by their owner. This is designed for businesses and developers who need to automate payment workflows — think payroll disbursements, subscription renewals, automated bill settlements, or supply chain payments.
How AI Agents Work
An AI Agent is registered with AfriLink Pay by a merchant. The merchant assigns it:
- A spending limit — maximum amount per transaction and per day
- An allowed recipient list — which @handles or accounts it can pay
- An allowed rail — mobile money, bank transfer, or stablecoin
- A trigger condition — schedule (e.g. every Friday), webhook event, or API call
- An approval threshold — amounts above X require human confirmation
The AI Agent authenticates via a scoped API token and submits payment instructions. AfriLink validates each instruction against the configured rules before executing. Payments that breach any rule are automatically blocked and the owner is alerted.
Human Approval Workflow
For high-value or out-of-pattern payments, AfriLink AI Agents trigger a human-in-the-loop approval request. The merchant receives a push notification and a unique approval URL. They can approve or reject within a time window. Expired approvals are automatically declined.
7. AfriLink Tap — NFC Wearables
AfriLink Tap brings payments to physical wearables — bracelets, rings, keychains, and cards — embedded with an NFC (Near Field Communication) chip. Each wearable is uniquely linked to the owner's AfriLink @handle and works in two directions: receive payments when a customer taps your wearable, or tap to pay from your own wallet at an AfriLink POS terminal.
Flow A: Tap to Receive (Merchant wears the tag)
A street vendor, market trader, or event staff member wears the AfriLink tag. When a customer taps it with their phone, the customer's browser opens the merchant's payment page. The customer pays from their own wallet or via any AfriLink rail.
Register the NFC tag in your AfriLink merchant or user account. The tag is bound to your @handle. Write the tap URL to the chip using the built-in Web NFC programmer on afrilinkpay.com/wearables — no app required, works in Chrome on Android.
Any NFC-enabled phone reads the tag and opens afrilinkpay.com/tap/{tagId}. The page instantly resolves the @handle and redirects to the payment form, pre-filled with the merchant's details and (optionally) a preset amount.
The customer chooses their preferred rail (mobile money, wallet, bank) and completes the payment. Funds arrive instantly. The merchant receives a push notification — no app open required.
7b. POS Terminal — Tap to Pay
The AfriLink POS Terminal is the inverse flow: instead of the customer scanning a merchant's wearable, the merchant's device scans the customer's wearable and debits their AfriLink wallet directly. Think of it as a contactless card terminal — but the "card" is any AfriLink-linked NFC wearable.
afrilinkpay.com/pos. No hardware purchase required — any Android phone with NFC works as a full POS terminal. iOS devices use a QR + @handle fallback.How the POS Terminal Works
The merchant (or cashier, agent, or event vendor) opens afrilinkpay.com/pos on their Android phone and signs in with their merchant API key. The numpad screen appears for entering the charge amount.
The merchant types the charge amount using the on-screen numpad, selects the currency from the admin-controlled currency list, and optionally adds a description. Currencies are tied to the 54-country admin table — disabled countries' currencies disappear automatically.
The merchant taps "Charge", which opens a POS session and activates the NFC reader. The customer taps their AfriLink wearable (bracelet, ring, keychain) to the merchant's phone. The NDEF URL encoded on the tag is read, the tag is resolved to a wallet, and the session amount is debited instantly.
The customer's AfriLink wallet is debited. The merchant's wallet is credited. Both parties receive push notifications. The POS screen shows a green success state with the receipt summary. The session expires in 90 seconds if no tap occurs — preventing accidental double charges.
Spending Limits
Each wearable tag can be configured with a per-transaction limit and a daily spending limit. The POS enforces these server-side before debiting the wallet — the customer's phone never sees the check. Daily spend resets automatically at midnight.
No NFC? No Problem
On iOS or devices without NFC, the POS shows a QR code + @handle fallback. The customer scans the QR with their phone camera or types the @handle. Same server-side flow, same 90-second session, same instant settlement.
Hardware API
For merchants integrating with dedicated hardware terminals, AfriLink exposes a REST API:
POST /api/pos/sessions — create a session with {amount, currency, merchantId}
GET /api/pos/sessions/:id — poll session status (pending→tapped→completed)
POST /api/pos/sessions/:id/tap — signal a tap (hardware reads NFC, posts tagId here)
DELETE /api/pos/sessions/:id — cancel sessionWebhook callbacks are HMAC-SHA256 signed with X-AfriLink-Signature. See the POS Terminal docs for the full integration guide.
7c. Tap Groups — Organised Wearable Fleets
Tap Groups let merchants, event organisers, and employers manage multiple wearable tags as a coordinated fleet. Each group has a type, a shared currency, and per-member spending limits. A single dashboard shows all taps, balances, and daily spend across every tag in the group.
Household & Family
Parents link a child's wristband to a sub-wallet and set daily spending limits. School canteen, transport, and weekend shopping — all tap-to-pay and fully trackable. If a wristband is lost, deactivate it instantly from the dashboard.
Events & Festivals
Issue preloaded NFC wristbands at the gate. Attendees tap to pay at food stalls, bars, and merch stands inside the venue. Organiser sees all spend in real time. At event close, unspent credit can be refunded automatically.
Restaurants & Vendors
Staff wear wristbands linked to their merchant wallet. Customers tap the waitstaff's wristband to pay the exact bill at the table. No card machine needed — just an NFC bracelet and any AfriLink wallet.
Corporate Campuses
Employees tap AfriLink keychains for canteen, printing, inter-department payments, and parking — all debited from a company payroll wallet. Finance gets a daily spend report per employee, per department.
How Tap Groups Are Managed
In the Merchant Portal → Tap Groups, create a new group. Choose the type (family / event / corporate), give it a name, select the group currency, and for events, set start and end dates.
Add existing registered wearable tags to the group. Assign each member a label (e.g. "Amara – Accounts", "Table 12", "Child – Kofi") and set individual per-transaction and daily spending limits.
The group dashboard shows each member's daily spend, remaining limit, total taps, and last activity. Group-level stats show combined spend and member count at a glance.
Remove a member from the group, clear their spending limits, or deactivate their tag entirely — all in one click. Changes take effect on the next tap (no app update required on the tag).
8. Pay Identity — Your @Handle
Pay Identity is AfriLink Pay's universal payment address system. Every user, merchant, and agent gets a unique @handle — a short, human-readable name that works as a payment address across all 54 countries and all 7 payment rails.
How @Handles Work
@amara.ke is a valid AfriLink Pay handle for Amara in Kenya. Anyone — anywhere in Africa or the diaspora — can:
- Send money to
@amara.kewithout knowing her phone number or bank account - Tap her NFC wearable (which resolves to
@amara.ke) to pay her - Scan her QR code (which resolves to
@amara.ke) to pay her - Click a link like
afrilinkpay.com/pay/@amara.keto send any amount - Ask an AI assistant to "pay @amara.ke KES 2,000" — the AI agent resolves the handle automatically
Handle Verification Levels
Phone verified
Handle registered with a verified phone number. Can send and receive up to the basic tier limits.
KYC verified
National ID or passport verified. Higher limits. Eligible for credit scoring and BNPL.
Business verified
Business registration documents verified. Merchant features, payroll, and team access unlocked.
9. Full Product Suite
Beyond the core products, AfriLink Pay offers a complete financial operating system for individuals and businesses across Africa.
USSD Payments
Works on any feature phone with no internet. Dial a shortcode, follow the menu, and complete payments end-to-end on 2G. Designed for rural markets and connectivity-constrained regions.
Offline QR
Merchants generate static QR codes that encode all payment details. Customers scan with any QR reader and pay. The QR works even when the merchant has no internet at the point of sale.
Subscriptions & Recurring
Businesses set up recurring billing plans. Subscribers authorise once — AfriLink charges automatically on schedule (weekly, monthly, annually) across any rail the subscriber prefers.
Bill Payments
Pay electricity, water, TV/cable, airtime top-ups, internet, insurance premiums, and school fees — all through AfriLink. Merchants and tenants can configure their own biller catalogues.
Open Banking
Connect any African bank account to AfriLink Pay via open banking APIs. Pull balances, initiate bank transfers, and reconcile transactions — without leaving the AfriLink platform.
Stablecoin Settlement
For corridors where traditional rails are slow or expensive, AfriLink settles via USDC or USDT on selected blockchains — providing near-instant, low-cost cross-border settlement for merchants.
Payroll
Businesses upload a payroll file (CSV or API) and AfriLink disburses salaries to each employee's preferred destination — bank account, mobile wallet, or AfriLink wallet — in one batch.
Group Savings (Susu)
Savings groups ("susu", "chama", "tontine") manage contributions, payouts, and records digitally through AfriLink. Members contribute via any rail; the system tracks periods and enforces payout schedules.
Credit Scoring & BNPL
AfriLink analyses transaction history to generate a real-time credit score for KYC-verified users. This unlocks Buy Now Pay Later at merchant checkouts — repayments deducted automatically from future wallet top-ups.
Diaspora Remittances
AfriLink's diaspora product lets immigrants in the UK, US, EU, and Gulf states send money home through an interface tailored for their home country's rail — with local currency display and familiar recipient details.
Regulator Dashboard
Accredited regulators and central banks get a read-only compliance dashboard: real-time transaction volumes, AML alert rates, corridor-level flow reports, and audit trails — all without touching individual user data.
KYC & AML Engine
Built-in identity verification (document upload + liveness check), real-time sanctions screening, and risk scoring — available as a standalone API for other fintechs building on AfriLink infrastructure.
10. Where Does the Money Go?
This is the most important question for users, regulators, and investors. The answer varies by product. Below is a precise breakdown for each major flow.
Individual Send/Receive (Person-to-Person)
| Stage | Who Holds the Money | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sender initiates | Sender's mobile wallet or bank account (via payment provider like MTN, Paystack, bank API) | At initiation |
| 2. In transit | AfriLink's ring-fenced sender settlement account held at a regulated banking partner in the sender's country. AfriLink is never a bank — we hold on behalf of, not as principal. | Seconds to minutes |
| 3. FX conversion | AfriLink's treasury desk converts at the locked rate. The conversion spread is AfriLink's primary revenue on this transaction. | Milliseconds |
| 4. Rail delivery | AfriLink instructs the destination-country payment provider (e.g. MTN Nigeria) to credit the recipient's wallet. | Instant to 2 days |
| 5. Recipient receives | Recipient's mobile wallet or bank account. AfriLink holds zero funds at this point. | End state |
Merchant Payments (Business Collections)
| Stage | Who Holds the Money | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Customer pays | Customer's wallet/bank (via Paystack, Flutterwave, mobile money operator) | At checkout |
| 2. Payment processing | Payment processor collects funds into their own settlement pool. AfriLink receives a webhook confirmation. | Instant to 2 hours |
| 3. Platform fee deducted | AfriLink deducts its tariff from the gross amount. This revenue goes into AfriLink's operating account. | At settlement |
| 4. Net credited | Net amount credited to the merchant's AfriLink settlement ledger (visible in merchant dashboard in real-time). | Immediately after step 3 |
| 5. Merchant payout | Merchant requests a payout. AfriLink instructs a payout provider to transfer to the merchant's nominated bank account or wallet. AfriLink holds zero funds once payout is complete. | 1–48 hours |
Agent Float
| Stage | Who Holds the Money | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Float top-up | Agent deposits cash at a bank or super-agent. AfriLink credits the agent's float wallet. | Agent is pre-funding future cash-outs |
| Cash-in transaction | Agent's physical cash increases; AfriLink credits the customer's wallet and debits the agent's float. | Net neutral for AfriLink |
| Cash-out transaction | Agent pays out physical cash; AfriLink credits the agent's float and debits the customer's wallet. | Net neutral for AfriLink |
| Commission | AfriLink credits agent's commission account from AfriLink's operating revenue on the transaction. | Agent income; AfriLink expense |
11. How AfriLink Pay Makes Money
AfriLink Pay has four primary revenue streams. Each is transparent to partners and disclosed in merchant agreement terms.
FX Spread (Primary)
On every cross-border transaction, AfriLink converts currency at an interbank rate with a spread margin applied (typically 0.5%–2% depending on the corridor). The spread is the difference between AfriLink's cost of FX and the rate offered to the sender. This is shown to users as the exchange rate — not as a separate fee.
Example: Interbank rate GHS/NGN = 118. AfriLink rate offered = 116. Spread = 1.7% of each transfer.
Platform Tariff (Per Transaction)
Merchants pay a platform tariff — a small percentage fee on every payment processed through AfriLink. Rates vary by product (send money vs. merchant collections vs. payroll vs. subscriptions) and by volume tier. Merchants with higher monthly volumes get lower tariff rates.
Typical range: 0.3%–1.5% of transaction value, depending on corridor and product.
API & Platform Fees
Enterprise clients and ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) building on AfriLink's API pay a monthly platform fee that covers API access, SLA guarantees, dedicated support, and higher rate limits. This is a subscription model — charged regardless of transaction volume.
Typical range: USD 99–USD 2,500/month depending on API tier.
Credit & Financial Products
AfriLink earns interest and facilitation fees on BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) repayment plans, short-term credit lines extended to verified merchants, and float financing for agents. These are offered in partnership with regulated lending entities.
This revenue stream grows with user tenure and repayment track record.
Where AfriLink's Revenue Goes
| Destination | What It Funds |
|---|---|
| Payment provider costs | AfriLink pays Paystack, MTN, Airtel, Flutterwave, Onafriq, Thunes, and other rail partners per-transaction fees to settle payments. This is AfriLink's largest cost. |
| Agent commissions | A portion of each agent transaction's revenue is paid out as agent commission. |
| Compliance & KYC | Third-party identity verification, AML screening, and sanctions list subscriptions. |
| Infrastructure | Server hosting, database replication, CDN, SMS/push notifications, and security audits. |
| Regulatory licensing | Payment service provider licenses, e-money institution registrations, and central bank reporting costs across multiple jurisdictions. |
| Operations & growth | Team salaries, customer support, sales, and product development. |
12. Compliance & Regulation
AfriLink Pay is designed from the ground up for regulatory compliance — not retrofitted as an afterthought.
KYC (Know Your Customer)
Every user is identity-verified before accessing send, receive, or merchant features. Verification levels determine transaction limits. Document upload + liveness detection prevents synthetic identity fraud.
AML Screening
Every transaction is screened in real time against OFAC, UN Security Council, EU, UK HMT, and local African regulatory watchlists. Suspicious transaction alerts are generated automatically and reported per country requirements.
Transaction Reporting
AfriLink generates STR (Suspicious Transaction Reports) and CTR (Currency Transaction Reports) as required by each country's financial intelligence unit (FIU). These are filed directly from the compliance dashboard.
Data Protection
User data is encrypted at rest and in transit. PII (personally identifiable information) is handled under GDPR, NDPA (Nigeria), PDPA (Kenya), and equivalent local laws. Users can request data export or deletion at any time.
Regulator Access
Central bank examiners and financial regulators have dedicated read-only access to transaction volumes, AML alert rates, corridor reports, and audit trails through the AfriLink Regulator Dashboard.
Licensing
AfriLink Pay operates under payment service provider licenses and e-money institution registrations in each country where it operates. A full list of licenses is available on the Compliance page.
13. Common Questions
Yes. AfriLink Pay does not lend out user funds or invest them speculatively. Customer balances are held in ring-fenced accounts at regulated banking partners — separate from AfriLink's own operating funds. This means AfriLink's financial position does not affect your balance. AfriLink is also not a bank — it is a licensed payment services intermediary, which means your funds are protected under the e-money safeguarding requirements of each jurisdiction.
Mobile money transfers: typically instant to 2 minutes. Bank transfers: 30 minutes to 2 business days depending on the destination country's interbank system. Stablecoin settlement: 2–10 minutes on-chain. Cash pickup: available instantly at registered pickup points once the transfer is confirmed. USSD transfers: instant once completed on the USSD menu. The AfriLink app shows an estimated delivery time before you confirm any transfer.
AfriLink Pay earns revenue primarily through the FX spread on cross-border transfers and a platform tariff on merchant transactions. For individual senders, the full cost is shown before you confirm — no hidden fees after the rate is quoted. For merchants, the tariff rate depends on your transaction volume and the countries you operate in. Contact us for a merchant pricing sheet.
Yes. AfriLink Pay's USSD product works on any mobile phone — including basic feature phones — with no internet required. Dial the registered USSD shortcode, follow the menu, and complete send-money, balance-check, and cash-out transactions entirely on your keypad. AfriLink Tap NFC wearables also allow contactless payment initiation without the wearable owner needing any phone at all — the payer uses their own phone to complete the payment.
M-Pesa, MTN MoMo, and Airtel Money are mobile network operator (MNO) wallets — they work within a single operator's network in a single country. AfriLink Pay is a cross-operator, cross-country, cross-rail layer on top of all of them. AfriLink can send money from an M-Pesa wallet in Kenya to an MTN MoMo wallet in Nigeria, a bank account in South Africa, or a cash pickup in Egypt — all through a single platform. AfriLink is not a competitor to MNO wallets; it is a connection layer between them.
AfriLink Pay implements a multi-layer AML framework: (1) Real-time transaction screening against OFAC, UN, EU, and local watchlists on every payment. (2) Behavioural analysis that flags unusual transaction patterns (velocity, amount, counterparty). (3) Enhanced due diligence (EDD) triggers for high-value or high-risk transactions. (4) Automatic STR and CTR generation and submission. (5) A complete immutable audit trail per user. Regulators with accredited access can review all alert data through the Regulator Dashboard. AfriLink also conducts periodic independent AML audits and makes results available to relevant authorities on request.
Africa's formal remittance market alone is approximately USD 100 billion per year — and informal (unrecorded) flows are estimated at 2–3× that. The African payments market (domestic + cross-border, retail + B2B) is forecast to exceed USD 600 billion by 2030. AfriLink's platform is positioned to capture value across all these flows — not just remittances, but merchant collections, payroll, B2B trade settlement, and financial services infrastructure for other fintechs. The total addressable market for AfriLink's combined product suite spans every payment that touches Africa.
Ready to get started?
Whether you're a user sending money home, a business accepting payments, or a developer building the next fintech — AfriLink Pay has you covered across all 54 African countries.