7 Best APIs for QR Code in Nigeria

QR TIGER is a dynamic QR code generation platform distinguished from simple QR generators by making the QR code's destination editable after it has already been printed — because a dynamic QR code points to a short redirect URL controlled by QR TIGER rather than encoding the destination directly, the underlying link, landing page, or file can be changed at any time without reprinting the physical code. This matters for marketing materials, packaging, or signage where a static QR code would be permanently broken by a URL change. Beyond the redirect mechanism, QR TIGER provides scan analytics (scan count, location, device, timestamp) per QR code, a landing-page builder for QR codes that should show a menu, vCard, or feedback form rather than redirect elsewhere, and extensive visual customization (colors, embedded logos, frame styles, and shapes) for brand-consistent codes. A REST API allows QR codes to be generated and managed programmatically as part of an application rather than through the web dashboard. For Nigerian businesses running promotional campaigns, restaurant menus, or product packaging where the destination content might need updating post-print, QR TIGER's dynamic/editable model and scan analytics are the key differentiators over free static QR generators — the tradeoff is that dynamic QR codes depend on QR TIGER's redirect service staying online, and the free tier has strict scan limits.

QRCode Monkey is a feature-rich QR code generation platform and API that creates highly customizable, branded QR codes with embedded logos, custom colors, gradient fills, shaped dots, and styled frames. Unlike basic QR code generators that produce generic black-and-white squares, QRCode Monkey produces QR codes that align with brand identity — making them effective visual communication elements as well as functional scanning targets. The platform offers both a web-based designer interface and a REST API for programmatic generation. The API accepts a data payload (URL, text, contact details, WiFi credentials, or any text content) along with extensive styling parameters, and returns the generated QR code as PNG (up to 3000px resolution) or SVG — making it suitable for both digital and high-quality print use cases. Custom color options include solid fill colors, gradient fills (linear and radial), and eye-specific coloring for the finder patterns (the three corner squares that help scanners locate the QR code). The dot shapes that make up the QR code matrix can be customized with options including rounded dots, diamond shapes, and other geometric styles, creating a distinctive visual character that plain QR codes lack. Logo and icon embedding is one of the most popular features. Developers can supply a company logo or icon URL, and QRCode Monkey places it centrally within the QR code while maintaining sufficient error-correction capacity for reliable scanning. The QR code error correction level (L, M, Q, H) can be configured to ensure the code remains scannable even with a logo covering part of it. For Nigerian businesses, QR codes serve multiple important practical functions. Nigerian restaurants, cafes, and hospitality businesses have widely adopted digital menus delivered via QR code since the COVID-19 pandemic, and branded QR codes with the restaurant logo create a more professional impression than generic codes. Event organizers use QR codes on tickets for rapid entry scanning. Nigerian retail shops use QR codes for contactless payment with mobile money systems. Nigerian marketing professionals can generate branded QR codes for print advertisements, outdoor billboards, business cards, and product packaging — linking to websites, promotional content, or contact information. Having the company logo embedded in the QR code reinforces brand recognition at every touchpoint where the code appears. Nigerian developers building applications that need to generate QR codes programmatically — for ticket issuance, product labeling, or document tracking — benefit from the API integration. Instead of generating plain QR codes, their applications produce branded outputs that align with their clients' visual identity. The free tier allows unlimited basic QR code generation with standard features, making it accessible for small Nigerian businesses and independent developers. The Pro tier at $6.95/month removes watermarks from API-generated codes and enables SVG output, which is important for scalable print use cases. The API endpoint is straightforward to call with standard HTTP requests, requiring no special SDK or client library. QRCode Monkey codes are built with proper error correction levels to ensure reliable scanning even in challenging conditions — partial damage, low contrast printing, or small print sizes. This reliability is essential for Nigerian businesses that print QR codes on packaging, receipts, and outdoor materials where scanning conditions vary. QRCode Monkey's API endpoint accepts POST requests with a JSON body specifying the QR data, style configuration, and output format, returning the QR code image directly. This makes it easy to integrate programmatic QR generation into any Nigerian application backend without installing local QR generation libraries.

OPay is a Nigerian digital financial services company and CBN-licensed Payment Service Bank that provides payment gateway APIs for businesses to accept online and offline payments. Originally founded as Opera Pay, OPay has grown into one of Nigeria's largest fintech platforms, backed by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Sequoia Capital China, and other major investors. OPay operates the largest mobile money network in Nigeria with over 40 million registered users and hundreds of thousands of agents — making it unique among Nigerian payment gateways in that its checkout is also deeply integrated with a mass-market e-wallet used daily by tens of millions of Nigerians. The OPay Checkout API is a RESTful, PCI-compliant payment gateway that enables businesses to accept multiple payment methods through a single integration. Developers access the API documentation at doc.opaycheckout.com, which provides both a hosted Express Checkout option (where OPay handles the entire payment UI) and a Server-to-Server API option (where developers build their own payment UI and call OPay endpoints directly for full control over the customer experience). Authentication uses AppId and AppKey credentials from the OPay Business Dashboard. Requests are signed using HMAC for security. The AppId is passed in the request header, and the AppKey is used to generate a signature that validates the integrity of each API call. The Business Dashboard is also used to configure webhook URLs and IP whitelisting — both of which are required for production deployments. OPay supports the following payment channels for Nigeria: local debit card payments (3DS and non-3DS), bank transfer checkout (where customers receive a virtual account number to transfer to), USSD payments, bank account direct debit, and OPay e-wallet QR payments. The e-wallet QR channel is uniquely powerful — customers with the OPay app can scan a QR code to pay directly from their OPay wallet, and the cost to the merchant is just ₦5 per transfer (the lowest payout rate in the Nigerian market). On the pricing side, OPay charges 1.5% per local transaction capped at ₦2,000 — identical to Paystack and Monnify. International card transactions are charged at 4% with no cap. For payouts (transfers out), OPay wallet transfers cost ₦5 flat, while bank transfers to other Nigerian banks follow the industry standard: ₦10 for amounts up to ₦5,000, ₦25 for ₦5,001–₦50,000, and ₦50 above ₦50,000. Volume discount pricing is available for large-volume processors upon request. OPay also provides a WooCommerce plugin for WordPress-based e-commerce stores, enabling non-technical merchants to add OPay checkout without writing any code. A PHP SDK is also available for backend developers. Webhook notifications are available for payment confirmation events. Developers must configure webhook endpoints in the dashboard and validate webhook signatures to prevent fraudulent event injection. OPay's sandbox environment allows full testing of all payment channels before going live. Moving to live requires completing OPay's business onboarding including CBN KYC: CAC registration, director BVN and government ID, and a business bank account. From a compliance standpoint, OPay Digital Services Limited is CBN-licensed as a Payment Service Bank and operates under the Payment Service Bank (PSB) regulatory framework. All card data is processed in compliance with PCI-DSS. The OPay e-wallet is NDIC-insured up to ₦500,000. Known challenges: OPay's developer documentation is less comprehensive than Paystack's. Some advanced features (split payments, recurring billing) are not available. The e-wallet QR payment channel requires customers to have the OPay app installed, which is only relevant for merchants targeting OPay's user base. Frequently Asked Questions: How is OPay different from Paystack? OPay's main differentiator is the integration with its 40M+ user e-wallet for ₦5 QR payments. For developers building for OPay's mass-market user base, this is a significant advantage. For general e-commerce, Paystack has better documentation and more developer features. Does OPay support split payments or subscriptions? No — OPay's checkout API does not currently support split payments or recurring subscription billing. What is the OPay wallet QR payment? It allows merchants to display a QR code that customers with the OPay app can scan to pay directly from their OPay wallet at ₦5 per transaction.

CBI Monie is a Nigerian payment infrastructure platform operated by CBI Technologies Limited. The company is licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), ISO-certified, NDPR-compliant, and PCI-DSS certified — making it one of the compliance-ready options for Nigerian businesses and fintechs needing embedded payment capabilities. CBI Monie offers multi-channel payment acceptance including POS terminals, dynamic QR codes, virtual account numbers, payment links, and a developer API for programmatic integration. What the API Does The CBI Monie API provides RESTful endpoints for: wallet balance and transaction management; QR code and virtual account generation; merchant onboarding for agent networks; payment links and checkout sessions; and real-time webhook events for automated workflows. The API is designed for fintechs, ERP systems, government platforms, and agent network operators that need to embed payment infrastructure into their products. How Developers Use It API access is by request — developers contact support@cbitechnologiesltd.com to initiate onboarding. Once approved, API credentials are issued. The platform provides SDKs and webhook integration modules. A sandbox environment is available for safe testing of transactions and webhook events before going live. The API follows RESTful conventions. Pricing Not publicly listed. CBI Monie pricing is available upon request through their sales and support team at support@cbitechnologiesltd.com. There is also a dedicated pricing page at cbimonie.com/pricing for merchant plans. Compliance CBN-licensed, ISO-certified, NDPR-compliant (Nigeria Data Protection Regulation), and PCI-DSS certified. CBI Monie handles cardholder data in compliance with international payment security standards. All merchant and API partner onboarding includes KYC verification. Supported Payment Channels POS terminals (physical card-present), dynamic QR codes, virtual account numbers (NIP transfers), payment links and hosted checkout, and web/mobile integration via API. Challenges and Gotchas (1) API access is not self-serve — requires approval and manual onboarding. (2) No USSD payment support. (3) No crypto or cross-border payment capabilities. (4) Rate limits and detailed technical specs are not publicly documented. (5) Compared to Paystack or Flutterwave, documentation is less comprehensive and publicly accessible. Company Background CBI Monie is a product of CBI Technologies Limited, a Nigerian fintech infrastructure company. The platform targets enterprise and institutional clients including government agencies, large merchants, fintechs building on top of their rails, and agent network operators who need a compliant multi-channel payment stack. FAQs Q: How do I get API access? A: Contact support@cbitechnologiesltd.com to request API access. Access is not self-serve. Q: Is there a sandbox? A: Yes. CBI Monie provides a developer-safe sandbox for testing transactions and webhooks. Q: Is CBI Monie suitable for a consumer app? A: Yes, through the wallet and virtual account APIs. It is also well-suited for B2B and enterprise platforms. Q: Does CBI Monie accept international cards? A: Yes. POS and card acceptance includes Verve, Visa, and Mastercard. Q: Can CBI Monie handle agent network onboarding? A: Yes. The Merchant Onboarding API is specifically designed for programmatically onboarding agents at scale. The PCI DSS certification of CBI Monie ensures that card data processed through the platform meets the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard requirements for cardholder data protection. For Nigerian fintechs and enterprises concerned about compliance with card scheme requirements, CBI Monie's certified status removes the burden of achieving independent PCI DSS certification for card data handling within the integrating platform's environment. QR code payment functionality in CBI Monie enables merchant-displayed QR codes that customers can scan to initiate payments using their mobile banking apps or fintech wallets. As QR code payment adoption grows in Nigeria — driven by CBN's promotion of cashless payment infrastructure and the expansion of mobile banking usage — merchants integrated with CBI Monie can offer this payment channel alongside traditional card and bank transfer methods without additional infrastructure. Merchant onboarding APIs within CBI Monie allow platform operators managing merchant networks to programmatically onboard new merchants, verify their identity and business credentials, and activate payment acceptance — building automated merchant lifecycle management for agent banking platforms, marketplace operators, and payment aggregators managing large merchant portfolios in Nigeria.