18 Best APIs for Government in Nigeria

Real-time NIN authentication service for secure digital identity verification. NINAuth allows services to verify citizens' identities without exposing actual NIN data. Supports web, API, and mobile verification with enhanced security and privacy protection.

SOAP-based API for NIN verification at multiple levels (1-5) with biometric support including fingerprint and facial recognition. Enables identity verification for KYC, onboarding, and identity services.

Public access to Nigeria's economic indicators including CPI, GDP, population statistics, trade data, and agricultural information. Provides data visualization and download tools for research, dashboards, and analytics purposes.

Automated Tax Remittance System providing REST API for tax invoice validation and compliance checks. E-invoicing solution enabling businesses to generate, validate, and submit invoices electronically through the FIRSMBS platform with real-time compliance verification.

Official central bank statistics database providing exchange rates, banking statistics, monetary aggregates, balance of payments, and financial data. Access to Nigeria's macro-economic indicators for research, analysis, and applications.

Public procurement transparency portal providing access to procurement data from 700+ government MDAs. Discloses contractor names, contract amounts, scope of work, duration, and project locations across all procurement process stages.

Remita is Nigeria's most widely deployed government payment infrastructure platform, operated by SystemSpecs — a Lagos-based technology company founded in 1992. Remita is the payment engine behind the Nigerian Federal Government's Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which processes salaries for over 1.7 million federal civil servants monthly. It is also integrated with the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), making Remita the de facto standard for Nigerian government financial transactions. Beyond government, Remita is used by over 100 Nigerian universities for school fees, thousands of corporate organizations for payroll and collections, and millions of individuals for bill payments. The Remita API is RESTful with JSON payloads and uses a multi-layer authentication scheme: OAuth 2.0 Bearer Token combined with a separate API-Key header. Both are required for all API calls. This double authentication layer is by design — given that Remita processes government and institutional transactions that carry higher security requirements than typical commercial gateways. OAuth 2.0 tokens are obtained by authenticating against the Remita token endpoint using merchant credentials. The API-Key is a static key assigned during merchant onboarding. Full API documentation is at api.remita.net. The core Remita Collections product works via a unique concept called the Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR). When an invoice or payment obligation is created via the Remita API, a unique 12-digit RRR code is generated. The payer can then present this RRR at any of Nigeria's 30+ bank branches, ATMs, mobile banking apps, or online banking portals and make the payment. Funds are automatically routed to the merchant's account, and Remita reconciles the transaction in real time. This multi-bank collection capability — where a single reference code is valid at every bank in Nigeria — is Remita's most powerful differentiator. The Collections API is available for all business types. Government-specific integrations (Ministries, Departments, and Agencies — MDAs) connect to Remita's TSA (Treasury Single Account) integration, which automatically sweeps collected funds to the CBN Treasury Single Account as mandated by the Federal Government's 2015 TSA policy. The Agency Banking API enables fintech platforms and banks to build agent banking products — where registered agents (typically airtime kiosks, POS shops, supermarkets) can process financial transactions on behalf of their customers. Remita's agent network spans rural and urban Nigeria. The Vending API provides programmatic access to utility top-ups: airtime and data purchases for all four major Nigerian networks (MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile), electricity unit purchases for EKEDC, IKEDC, AEDC, BEDC, EEDC, JED, KAEDCO, and other NERC-licensed DISCOs, and DStv/GOtv subscription management. This makes Remita a convenient single integration point for platforms offering VAS (Value Added Services) products. The Direct Debit API enables businesses to set up standing debit mandates on customer bank accounts — automatically debiting on a schedule without requiring manual customer action for each transaction. This is used for insurance premium collection, loan repayments, and subscription services. Pricing for Remita is transaction-based and varies by product type (collections, transfers, vending). Unlike some gateways, Remita does not publish a flat public pricing table — rates are agreed during merchant onboarding and depend on volume and business type. Government entities and high-volume enterprises typically negotiate custom rates. The demo/test environment is available at remitademo.net, which mirrors all production functionality. Moving from demo to live requires completing Remita's merchant onboarding, which is more involved than typical payment gateways — reflecting the higher compliance requirements of its government-focused products. From a compliance standpoint, SystemSpecs Ltd (Remita's operator) holds CBN licensing and has SOC 2 Type II certification. Remita is also ISO 27001 certified for information security management. These certifications are required for the government contracts that form Remita's core business. Known challenges: Remita's developer documentation and API design are less modern than Paystack or Flutterwave. The API uses older REST conventions. The multi-layer authentication (OAuth 2.0 + API-Key) requires careful implementation. Merchant onboarding is more bureaucratic than self-service gateways. These trade-offs are acceptable for government and institutional clients where regulatory compliance outweighs developer experience. Frequently Asked Questions: Does Remita only serve government institutions? No — Remita is available to private businesses, educational institutions, and individuals. Government integration is its strongest use case, but any Nigerian business can use Remita for collections, payroll, and VAS. What is an RRR code? A Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) is a unique 12-digit code generated for each payment obligation. Payers can use this code to pay at any Nigerian bank, ATM, or mobile app — making it ideal for widespread collection from diverse payment sources. Is Remita safe for government revenue? Yes — Remita is SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certified, and is the CBN-approved platform for federal government revenue collection under the Treasury Single Account policy.

Interswitch Group is Nigeria's pioneering payment infrastructure company and the creator of the Verve card network — the most widely used debit card in Nigeria with over 35 million cardholders. Founded in 2002 and listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Interswitch owns and operates Nigeria's core payment switching infrastructure, connecting virtually all Nigerian banks. The company provides developer access to its infrastructure through the Interswitch Developer Center and the Quickteller Business platform. What the API Does The Interswitch API ecosystem covers multiple products: (1) Quickteller SVA — access to 3,000+ billers for airtime vending, utility payments, and transfers to all Nigerian banks and selected African mobile wallets; (2) Quickteller Business — a comprehensive payment gateway for card acceptance, USSD, QR, hosted fields, and mobile SDKs; (3) Virtual Accounts — for NGN collections via dedicated account numbers; (4) NIP Instant Transfers — for bank-to-bank transfers across the Nigerian banking system. How Developers Use It Developers sign up at docs.interswitchgroup.com, create an app in the developer console, and obtain a Client ID and Secret Key for OAuth 2.0 authentication. The API uses standard OAuth 2.0 authorization to generate access tokens. A sandbox environment is available for testing with test credentials. Integration options include REST API, hosted fields (for PCI-compliant card capture), web gateway, and mobile SDKs. Pricing Integration is free — no setup or monthly fees. Local transactions (cards, USSD, QR): 1.5% capped at ₦2,000. 7.5% VAT applies to all transaction fees. Volume-based custom pricing available for high-volume merchants — contact sales. Authentication OAuth 2.0 using Client ID and Secret Key from the developer console. Access tokens are generated and included in API request headers. Token expiry and refresh are managed per OAuth 2.0 standards. Compliance Interswitch is CBN-licensed, PCIDSS certified, and regulated as a switching and processing company under Nigerian financial regulations. As an NSE-listed company it is subject to SEC and public disclosure requirements. Challenges and Gotchas (1) OAuth 2.0 is more complex to implement than simple Bearer token APIs — requires proper token management. (2) Quickteller SVA and Quickteller Business are separate products with different documentation. (3) Settlement takes up to 48 hours — not instant. (4) Verve card processing is Interswitch's core strength; for international card processing, competitors like Paystack may offer better rates. Company Background Interswitch was founded in 2002 by Mitchell Elegbe in Lagos. The company processes hundreds of millions of transactions monthly and serves over 40,000 merchants across Nigeria. Interswitch is valued at over $1 billion, making it one of Africa's fintech unicorns. Products include Verve, Quickteller, Paydirect, and eClat. FAQs Q: What is the fee for local card transactions? A: 1.5% capped at ₦2,000, plus 7.5% VAT on the fee. Q: Does Interswitch support 3,000+ billers? A: Yes. Quickteller SVA gives access to airtime, utilities, and thousands of Nigerian billers. Q: What authentication does Interswitch use? A: OAuth 2.0. You get a Client ID and Secret Key from the developer console to generate access tokens. Q: Is there a sandbox? A: Yes. Available at docs.interswitchgroup.com with test credentials. Interswitch's Verve card network — with over 40 million active cards issued by virtually every Nigerian bank — is one of the most important domestic payment assets in the country. Merchants and platforms integrated with Interswitch gain acceptance of Verve cards, which are the primary debit cards for millions of Nigerian bank customers who may not have international Visa or Mastercard credentials. For consumer-facing Nigerian businesses where Verve card acceptance determines accessibility to a large portion of the Nigerian banked population, Interswitch integration is often essential rather than optional. The NIP (NIBSS Instant Payment) switch that Interswitch helps power enables instant settlement between banks across Nigeria, with transactions completing within seconds rather than the 24-hour windows of older payment systems. For Nigerian businesses where payment confirmation delays affect operational workflows — logistics companies confirming payment before dispatch, service providers starting work after payment, retailers managing inventory allocation — NIP instant payment confirmation through Interswitch's infrastructure removes settlement uncertainty from business operations. Interswitch's three-plus decades of operation in Nigeria represent institutional knowledge of Nigerian payment infrastructure that newer entrants cannot match. The company has navigated multiple CBN regulatory cycles, multiple technology infrastructure shifts, and the evolution of Nigerian consumer payment behavior from cash to cards to mobile. For Nigerian enterprises selecting long-term payment infrastructure partners, this institutional longevity and demonstrated resilience is a meaningful factor in vendor selection.

Legislative data API providing access to bills, senate members, house representatives, committees, and parliamentary proceedings. Enables tracking of bills from first reading to presidential assent with real-time legislative information.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Statistics API provides access to Nigeria's telecommunications sector data, including subscriber statistics, network operator performance metrics, internet penetration rates, spectrum allocation data, and communications industry reports. The NCC is the federal regulatory agency responsible for overseeing all telecommunications services in Nigeria, and its statistical publications represent the authoritative primary source for Nigerian telecom market data. Nigeria has one of the largest telecommunications markets in Africa, with over 220 million mobile subscribers across four major mobile network operators: MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Glo Mobile, and 9mobile. The NCC collects and publishes quarterly subscriber data broken down by operator, service type (voice, data, SMS), and geographic state distribution. For telecom market researchers, investors, and competitive intelligence tools, this granular operator-level data tracks market share shifts and growth trends across Nigeria's diverse regional markets. Internet penetration statistics from NCC document the growth of broadband and mobile internet adoption across Nigeria's 36 states and the FCT. The data distinguishes between mobile broadband (3G and 4G connections) and fixed broadband (fiber, DSL, and fixed wireless), providing a detailed picture of connectivity infrastructure distribution. For Nigerian internet service providers and infrastructure investors, state-level penetration data identifies underserved markets with the greatest expansion potential. Quality of Service (QoS) metrics published by NCC hold mobile operators accountable to regulatory standards for call drop rates, connection success rates, data speed performance, and complaints per subscriber. For Nigerian consumer protection platforms and telecom rating apps, NCC QoS data provides objective, regulatory-grade performance benchmarks against which operators can be compared. Users in regions with consistently poor quality scores from a specific operator have data-backed evidence for switching. Spectrum allocation data from NCC lists licensed frequency bands, assigned operators, geographic coverage areas, and license validity periods. For Nigerian telecom infrastructure companies, tower companies, and frequency planning tools, spectrum allocation data maps the licensed electromagnetic landscape. The NCC's annual industry report collates all this data into comprehensive market analysis that can be processed programmatically for dashboard and analytics applications. The statistical data is updated following each NCC quarterly regulatory report release, ensuring that applications built on the API reflect the most current state of the Nigerian telecommunications sector. Developers can use the API to power interactive data visualizations showing the growth of mobile broadband penetration across Nigerian states, the competitive dynamics between MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile in different market segments, and the correlation between network infrastructure investment and subscriber growth in underserved rural areas. For Nigerian investors and analysts tracking the financial performance of listed telecom companies, NCC subscriber data provides essential industry context. Telecom sector researchers at universities and think tanks can use the API to streamline data collection for academic publications, avoiding the manual compilation of statistics from PDF reports. Independent data journalists and civic hackers in Nigeria use NCC statistics to build public interest applications that visualize mobile network coverage gaps, track the growth of internet access across Nigerian states, and hold network operators accountable for quality of service commitments. The availability of standardized, machine-readable telecoms data through the API enables a broader ecosystem of applications and analyses that improve transparency in a sector that is fundamental to Nigerian economic and social development.

The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) Data API provides access to public health statistics, disease surveillance data, health facility information, immunization coverage metrics, and public health program outcomes across Nigeria. Nigeria's population of over 220 million people and its complex public health landscape — managing endemic diseases like malaria and tuberculosis alongside emerging infectious disease threats — make FMOH health data critical infrastructure for healthcare planning, research, and digital health applications. Disease surveillance data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), operating under FMOH oversight, tracks case counts, outbreak alerts, and epidemiological curves for notifiable diseases including malaria, cholera, Lassa fever, meningitis, monkeypox, and COVID-19. Real-time disease reporting from the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system aggregates reports from state public health laboratories and sentinel surveillance sites. For Nigerian public health dashboards and epidemic intelligence tools, this surveillance data provides the early warning signals that epidemiologists and health authorities need to respond rapidly to outbreak events. Health facility data maps Nigeria's healthcare infrastructure across the three tiers: primary health care centers (PHCs), secondary health facilities (general hospitals), and tertiary institutions (teaching hospitals and specialist centers). The National Health Facility Registry maintained by FMOH contains over 30,000 registered facilities with location coordinates, service availability, operational status, and ownership type (federal, state, LGA, private). For telemedicine platforms and health directory apps, facility data powers patient-to-facility matching services that help Nigerians find appropriate nearby care. Immunization coverage statistics track vaccination rates for childhood immunizations (BCG, OPV, DPT, measles) and supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) at state and LGA levels. For public health organizations running vaccination campaigns in Nigeria — particularly those targeting states with historically low coverage — immunization data identifies priority areas and measures campaign impact over time. Vital statistics including birth registrations, mortality data, and cause-of-death information are compiled by FMOH from state health management information systems. Nigeria's civil registration coverage has historically been incomplete, but digital health programs are improving data quality. Researchers and NGOs working on maternal and child health in Nigeria rely on FMOH vital statistics as the official primary source for health indicator monitoring. Nigerian pharmaceutical companies, hospital systems, and healthcare NGOs can use the Ministry of Health API to access authoritative morbidity and mortality statistics that inform resource allocation, medical procurement planning, and intervention targeting. The disease surveillance data enables early warning systems for outbreak detection, allowing health applications to display alert information when disease incidence in specific Nigerian states or local government areas rises above baseline thresholds. Public health researchers at Nigerian universities and research institutes benefit from API access to longitudinal health data that would otherwise require time-consuming manual extraction from ministry publications. International health organizations including WHO, UNICEF, and bilateral health development programs use Nigerian Ministry of Health data as the baseline for program design, monitoring, and evaluation, and machine-readable API access supports more efficient data integration into their planning and reporting systems.

Comprehensive archive of microdata from surveys, censuses, and administrative sources. Provides access to granular household and individual-level data for in-depth research and statistical analysis on socio-economic, demographic, and social topics.

OpenFDA is a free, publicly accessible REST API developed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that provides access to millions of records across several critical regulatory datasets: drug adverse events, drug labeling, drug recalls, medical device adverse events, food enforcement reports, and tobacco adverse event reports. While the data originates from US regulatory submissions, OpenFDA is globally accessible and provides valuable resources for Nigerian health tech developers, pharmaceutical companies, and medical researchers who work with drugs and devices that are also sold or used in Nigeria. **What OpenFDA Does** OpenFDA exposes six primary datasets through a unified query API: **1. Drug Adverse Events (FAERS)** The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains over 20 million adverse event reports submitted by patients, healthcare professionals, and pharmaceutical companies. Each report describes a drug or biological product suspected of causing a patient's adverse outcome. Searchable by drug name, reaction type, patient demographics, and reporting date. **2. Drug Labeling** Full text of FDA-approved drug labels (package inserts) for thousands of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Includes indications, dosage, contraindications, warnings, adverse reactions, drug interactions, and storage conditions. Updated whenever the FDA approves labeling changes. **3. Drug Recalls (Enforcement Reports)** Records of drug recall actions, including the reason for recall (contamination, mislabeling, sub-potency, etc.), the affected lot numbers, the recalling firm, and the recall classification. Searchable by drug name, NDC code, or recall date. **4. Medical Device Adverse Events (MAUDE)** Reports of problems with medical devices, including deaths, serious injuries, and malfunctions associated with specific device types and manufacturers. Important for biomedical engineers and hospital administrators monitoring device safety. **5. Food Enforcement Reports** FDA enforcement actions related to food products, including recalls of contaminated or mislabeled food items. Useful for food importers and distributors. **6. Tobacco Adverse Event Reports** Adverse event reports related to tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes. Growing relevance as vaping products enter the Nigerian market. **How Developers Use OpenFDA** No API key is required for basic usage: ``` GET https://api.fda.gov/drug/event.json?search=patient.drug.medicinalproduct:metformin&limit=10 ``` Register for a free API key at open.fda.gov to access higher rate limits (120,000 requests/day vs 1,000/day without key): ``` GET https://api.fda.gov/drug/label.json?search=brand_name:paracetamol&api_key=YOUR_KEY ``` OpenFDA uses a powerful query syntax: full-text search (`search=`), field-specific filtering, range queries for dates and numeric values, and result counting (`count=`). The `count=` parameter is particularly useful for analytics — counting adverse events by drug name, reaction type, or patient age group. **Pricing** Completely free. No payment required. The API is a public service of the US government funded by taxpayer dollars. No commercial restrictions on using the data in applications. **Rate Limits** Without API key: 240 requests/minute, 1,000 requests/day. With free API key: 240 requests/minute, 120,000 requests/day. For very high-volume data downloads, FDA also provides bulk data downloads. **Nigerian Relevance** Nigeria's pharmaceutical market includes many drugs that are also FDA-regulated — either because they are imported from the US, manufactured by US-licensed manufacturers, or are global brands with US FDA approval. Examples include common generic drugs (metformin, amoxicillin, artemether-lumefantrine, ARVs), medical devices (blood glucose meters, diagnostic equipment), and vaccines. Key use cases for Nigerian developers and organizations: 1. **Pharmacovigilance Research**: NAFDAC (National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control) encourages pharmacovigilance — monitoring adverse drug reactions in Nigeria. Researchers can supplement Nigerian adverse event data with FAERS reports for the same drugs to build a more complete safety picture. 2. **Drug Safety Screening**: Before importing or approving a drug batch, Nigerian pharmacists and importers can check whether the manufacturer or lot number has active FDA recalls. 3. **Clinical Decision Support**: Drug labeling data from OpenFDA can power warnings and interaction alerts in Nigerian hospital pharmacy systems, particularly for drugs used across both US and Nigerian healthcare systems. 4. **Medical Education**: Nigerian medical and pharmacy students can use OpenFDA to access original FDA drug labels as a teaching resource for pharmacology education. **Compliance Considerations** OpenFDA data is US regulatory data. It reflects FDA's jurisdiction and does not constitute NAFDAC approval or Nigerian regulatory guidance. Developers should clearly label any drug information as "US FDA Data" and direct users to NAFDAC for Nigerian regulatory decisions. OpenFDA data is in the public domain and can be freely reproduced with attribution. **Company Background** OpenFDA is developed and maintained by the US Food and Drug Administration's Office of Digital Transformation. It was launched in 2014 as part of a government initiative to make FDA's regulatory data more accessible to the public, researchers, and developers. The project is open-source on GitHub and welcomes community contributions to improve the API and documentation. OpenFDA is one of the most reliable and comprehensive pharmaceutical regulatory databases available for free — making it an invaluable resource for Nigerian health tech innovation.

API providing access to company data, directors information, beneficial owners, and Persons With Significant Control (PSC) details. Integrated with NIBSS platform for KYB (Know Your Business), compliance verification, and due diligence. Real-time access to CAC company database.