3 Best APIs for CBN in Nigeria

Zone (formerly AppZone) is Africa's first CBN-licensed blockchain-based payment switching and processing company, founded by Obi Emetarom and headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. In 2022, Zone became the first blockchain-powered fintech to receive a Payment Switching and Processing License from the Central Bank of Nigeria — a historically significant milestone that validated blockchain technology as a legitimate payment infrastructure layer under Nigerian regulatory oversight. Zone provides banks, fintechs, and financial service providers with simple APIs for processing a broad range of payment transactions through a decentralized blockchain settlement layer. Unlike traditional payment switches (NIBSS, Interswitch) that rely on centralized clearing databases, Zone's blockchain infrastructure creates an immutable, transparent ledger of every settlement — reducing reconciliation disputes and eliminating the need for a trusted central intermediary between participating institutions. The Zone API enables developers to process: account-to-account fund transfers, ATM card withdrawals, POS (Point of Sale) card payments, merchant web and in-app payments, cash-in/cash-out at agent locations, and cross-border remittances. These are the core transaction types that flow through any payment switch — and Zone's blockchain layer provides transparent audit trails for all of them. Currently, Zone is connected to more than 15 of Africa's largest commercial banks. The company's onboarding model is B2B partnership-driven — typically targeting banks, licensed payment service providers, and institutional fintechs rather than individual developers seeking self-service access. Integration is handled through a technical partnership agreement, which reflects the institutional nature of payment switching infrastructure. Zone raised a $8.5 million seed round in March 2024, backed by investors including Flourish Ventures and Speedinvest, to scale its decentralized payment infrastructure across Nigeria and expand to additional African markets. The company's pre-Zone identity as AppZone gave it over a decade of established relationships with Nigerian commercial banks — making it one of the most deeply connected fintech infrastructure companies in Nigeria. Authentication for Zone's developer APIs uses API Key or OAuth credentials obtained through the Zone developer portal. A sandbox environment is available for testing. Given the institutional nature of the product, developer access is typically preceded by a commercial engagement with the Zone team. From a compliance standpoint, Zone holds the CBN Payment Switching and Processing License — the highest-tier payment infrastructure license in Nigeria. This license covers all transaction types processed through the Zone switch. All participating banks and fintechs must themselves hold appropriate CBN licenses for their respective payment activities. Known challenges: Zone's developer portal and self-service documentation are less accessible than consumer-facing gateways like Paystack. The B2B, institution-first model means individual developers cannot simply sign up and start testing. Additionally, the blockchain infrastructure, while innovative, adds a layer of complexity compared to traditional switches — institutions must understand the settlement model before integration. Frequently Asked Questions: Is Zone's blockchain public or private? Zone operates a permissioned blockchain — only CBN-licensed institutions can participate as nodes. It is not a public blockchain like Ethereum or Bitcoin. Can I use Zone as a regular merchant to accept card payments? Zone is a payment switch, not a merchant payment gateway. It provides infrastructure to banks and fintechs, who then offer payment services to merchants. Contact a Zone-connected bank or fintech for merchant payment solutions. How is Zone different from NIBSS? NIBSS is a centralized clearing system owned by all Nigerian banks. Zone is a decentralized, blockchain-based switch that competes with NIBSS's NIP system — offering an alternative routing path for interbank transfers with blockchain-based settlement transparency.

eTranzact International Plc is one of Nigeria's oldest and most established fintech companies, listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Founded in 2003, eTranzact has been a foundational player in Nigeria's digital payments ecosystem — predating Paystack, Flutterwave, and most modern Nigerian payment gateways by over a decade. The company offers a suite of enterprise API products designed for banks, telcos, financial institutions, and government agencies. Developer documentation is available at developers.etranzactng.com. What the API Does eTranzact offers six primary API products: (1) SwitchIT — a bill payment API for utility, airtime, and service payments; (2) Virtual Account Service — for issuing and managing virtual bank account numbers; (3) AntPeer — loan mandate setup and automated repayment collection for digital lenders; (4) Instant Transfer — real-time interbank fund transfers via NIP; (5) e-Invoicing API — generating FIRS-compliant electronic invoices for tax compliance; (6) WaaS (Wallet-as-a-Service) — embedding wallet functionality into third-party applications. How Developers Use It Developers access the portal at developers.etranzactng.com for documentation and API reference. Authentication is via API key from the developer portal. eTranzact is an enterprise provider — onboarding typically requires a formal integration agreement rather than self-service signup. A sandbox environment is available for testing. Pricing Enterprise pricing only — not publicly listed. eTranzact targets institutional clients with contracts negotiated based on integration type, transaction volume, and product combination. Contact eTranzact for pricing. Compliance eTranzact is CBN-licensed and operates under CBN payment system regulations. As an NSE-listed company, it is subject to SEC regulations and public reporting requirements — providing institutional clients with a high level of corporate accountability and transparency. Challenges and Gotchas (1) Not a self-service platform — enterprise onboarding required. (2) Documentation is less accessible than Paystack or Flutterwave. (3) Primarily institutional focus — not designed for individual developers or small startups. (4) Pricing requires sales engagement. (5) Product suite is broad but each product may require a separate integration agreement. Company Background eTranzact International Plc was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Lagos. It is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and serves over 200+ banks and financial institutions across Nigeria and Africa. The company has expanded into Ghana, Zimbabwe, and other African markets. Its longevity and stock exchange listing make it one of the most trusted institutional payment infrastructure providers in Nigeria. FAQs Q: Is eTranzact publicly listed? A: Yes. eTranzact International Plc is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Q: Can a startup integrate eTranzact independently? A: eTranzact is primarily enterprise-focused. Small startups should consider Paystack or Flutterwave as more accessible alternatives. Q: Does eTranzact support loan mandate processing? A: Yes. The AntPeer product handles loan mandate setup and automated repayment debit for digital lenders and microfinance banks. Q: What is WaaS? A: Wallet-as-a-Service — an API that lets third-party apps embed NGN wallet functionality without building their own wallet infrastructure. For Nigerian enterprises and large organizations, eTranzact's position as a publicly listed company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange provides a level of transparency and financial accountability that private fintech providers cannot match. Annual financial reports, board governance, and shareholder accountability create institutional confidence for Nigerian banks, government agencies, and large corporations selecting payment infrastructure partners for critical financial operations. NIBSS NIP integration through eTranzact enables real-time instant payment transfers between Nigerian bank accounts, settled within seconds. For enterprises running high-value payment operations — salary disbursements, vendor settlements, inter-company transfers — access to the NIP instant payment rail through eTranzact's regulated infrastructure ensures funds reach recipients immediately rather than in batch settlement windows. eTranzact's long-standing position as a NIBSS-licensed institution provides direct connectivity to Nigeria's core payment clearing infrastructure. The PTSA (Payment Terminal Service Aggregator) license held by eTranzact allows the company to aggregate POS terminal services and provide terminal deployment, management, and transaction routing for merchants. Nigerian businesses deploying POS infrastructure — retail chains, hotels, supermarkets, service businesses — can use eTranzact as their PTSA for terminal provisioning and ongoing support. This physical payment infrastructure layer complements eTranzact's digital API services for businesses managing both in-person and online payment channels.

Epic Pay (Epic Payment Technologies Limited) is a Nigerian PSS-licensed payment gateway offering a full suite of developer APIs through a dedicated developer portal at developer.epicpay.com. The platform is PCI DSS 4.0 certified — one of the most current versions of the payment security standard — and provides Payment, Boarding/Agent, and Reporting APIs alongside SDKs for Java and C#/.NET. Epic Pay is notable for its white-label capabilities and its active developer community, the Epic Pay Developers Circle. What the API Does The Epic Pay API suite covers three main areas: (1) Payment API — initiate one-time and recurring payments, tokenize card payloads, manage customer records, and perform Address Verification Service (AVS) checks. (2) Boarding/Agent API — programmatically onboard merchants and agents onto the Epic Pay gateway, configure their settings, and manage their accounts. (3) Reporting API — retrieve real-time and historical transaction data for reconciliation and financial reporting. How Developers Use It Developers access the portal at developer.epicpay.com, create an account, obtain API keys, and integrate using the provided documentation and SDKs. Java and C#/.NET SDKs are available to simplify integration. The API is REST-based. A Dev Lab environment is available for sandbox testing. AVS codes are returned in real-time within sale and authorize responses. Pricing Not publicly listed. Developers can access the developer portal and Dev Lab for free. Transaction fee structure requires contacting Epic Pay directly. As a PSS-licensed provider, fees are likely in line with CBN-regulated payment industry standards. Authentication API Key from the EpicPay Gateway Developer Portal. Keys are used to authenticate all API requests. Compliance PSS (Payment Service Solution) licensed by the CBN. PCI DSS 4.0 certified — one of the most current PCI versions, demonstrating strong card data security practices. Challenges and Gotchas (1) No USSD or crypto support. (2) Pricing not public — requires direct engagement. (3) Less community presence than Paystack/Flutterwave — documentation depth may be lower. (4) White-label and agent boarding make it more suitable for ISOs and platform builders than simple merchant integrations. Company Background Epic Payment Technologies Limited is a Nigerian payment company focused on providing payment infrastructure for businesses, developers, and agent networks. The Developers Circle community initiative shows active engagement with the Nigerian developer ecosystem. FAQs Q: Does Epic Pay support recurring billing? A: Yes. The Payment API supports recurring payments with tokenized card storage. Q: Is there a sandbox? A: Yes. A Dev Lab environment is available at developer.epicpay.com/Docs/DevLab. Q: What SDKs are available? A: Java and C#/.NET SDKs are available on GitHub under EpicGateway organization. Q: Can I build a white-label payment product with Epic Pay? A: Yes. Epic Pay specifically supports white-label payment platform deployments with the Boarding API for sub-merchant management. PCI DSS 4.0 certification at Epic Pay ensures that the platform meets the most current version of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, providing Nigerian merchants with confidence that card data processed through Epic Pay is handled in compliance with international card scheme security requirements. For Nigerian businesses that accept card payments through Epic Pay's infrastructure, the certification removes independent PCI compliance burden from the merchant's own systems for card data that flows through Epic Pay's hosted solutions. The white-label capability of Epic Pay allows Nigerian fintech companies to deploy a branded payment gateway under their own product identity, using Epic Pay's underlying infrastructure and licensing without exposing the white-label arrangement to end customers. This model benefits Nigerian fintechs that want to offer payment collection as part of a broader product suite — a lending platform offering collection infrastructure to borrowers, an HR platform providing payroll collection tools — under their own brand without building and licensing payment infrastructure independently. Agent boarding through Epic Pay's multi-API developer portal enables platforms managing agent networks to programmatically register agents, configure their access levels, and provision their payment acceptance capabilities. For Nigerian platforms operating agent banking networks, field sales agent networks, or merchant partner programs, automated agent onboarding through an API dramatically reduces the operational cost and time of expanding the agent network compared to manual registration processes.