📱
Airtime
MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile
Multiple providers · 6 service types · Live now
One API for every
VTU service in Nigeria
Integrate airtime, data, cable TV, electricity, and education bill payments through one consistent API — backed by multiple providers for maximum reliability.
POST /api/v1/buyairtime
{
"network": "MTN",
"phone": "08012345678",
"amount": 500
}Multiple
VTU Providers
6
Service Types
12+
Networks & DISCOs
99.9%
Target Uptime
Every VTU service, covered
From airtime top-ups to university exam pins — all through a single, consistent API.
📶
Data Bundles
SME, Gifting, CG, DG plans
📺
Cable TV
DStv, GOtv, Startimes, Showmax
⚡
Electricity
All 12 DISCOs nationwide
🎓
Education
WAEC, NECO, JAMB, NABTEB
🌐
Broadband
Smile, Spectranet, MTN broadband
Two ways to use VTUGATE
Choose the mode that fits your business — or use both.
API-Key Mode
Bring Your Own Keys
Already have provider accounts? Add your encrypted API credentials and VTUGATE routes through them. You only pay a small platform fee per transaction.
- Pay ₦0.5 per airtime · ₦10 per data/TV · ₦2 per electricity
- Your provider account gets charged directly
- Full control over which providers to use
New
Managed Mode
Use Our Provider Accounts
No provider accounts needed. Fund your service wallet and we handle all provider integrations. Perfect for getting started immediately.
- Zero provider setup required
- Fund your wallet and start transacting
- Competitive commission rates on every transaction
Built for developers
Everything you need to integrate, ship, and scale.
Multiple Providers, 1 Endpoint
Route across multiple trusted VTU providers through one consistent API — with new providers added regularly for maximum reliability.
Two Usage Modes
Use your own provider API keys (pay fees only) or use our managed keys (no setup needed).
Encrypted Credentials
Provider API keys and credentials are AES-encrypted at rest. Never stored in plaintext.
Real-time Dashboard
Track all transactions, wallet balances, and provider performance from one place.
Transparent Pricing
Flat fees: Airtime ₦0.5 · Data/TV/Education ₦10 · Electricity ₦2. Zero hidden charges.
Developer-First Docs
Full API documentation with code samples directly inside your dashboard.
Simple, transparent pricing
API-Key Mode: flat platform fee per transaction. Managed Mode: pay nothing up-front — we share commission on every sale.
API-Key Mode — Platform Fees
📱
Airtime
₦0.5
📶
Data Bundles
₦10
📺
Cable TV
₦10
⚡
Electricity
₦2
🎓
Education
₦10
🌐
Broadband
₦10
Managed Mode — Commission per Sale
📱Airtime4
9mobile
6% commission
airtel
3% commission
glo
6.5% commission
mtn
3% commission
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions
Everything you need to know before integrating.
What is a VTU API and why do I need one?
A VTU (Virtual Top-Up) API lets your app or website programmatically buy airtime, data, cable TV subscriptions, electricity units, and education pins on behalf of your users. Instead of manually recharging each phone or account, your software makes an HTTP request and the transaction completes in seconds. Common uses: reward apps, staff airtime allowances, agent-banking platforms, fintech apps, e-commerce cashback, and standalone reseller businesses.
How do I integrate VTUGATE into my application?
Sign up for a free account, generate an API key from your dashboard, fund your wallet, and start making POST requests to
https://api.vtugate.com. Every endpoint accepts application/x-www-form-urlencoded bodies and returns JSON. Full reference with JavaScript, PHP, and Python code samples is at vtugate.com/docs — no credit card or approval process required to start reading.What networks and bill categories does VTUGATE support?
Airtime and data for MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile. Cable TV for DStv, GOtv, Startimes, and Showmax. Electricity bill payments for all 12 Nigerian DISCOs (IBEDC, EKEDC, IKEDC, AEDC, PHED, KAEDCO, JED, KEDCO, EEDC, YEDC, BEDC, and APLE). Education pins for WAEC, NECO, JAMB, and NABTEB. Broadband for Smile, Spectranet, and MTN broadband.
What are the two usage modes and which should I pick?
Managed mode: use our platform credentials, no setup needed, we handle provider routing and failover for you. You earn a commission on every transaction. Ideal for teams that want to start immediately without any integration overhead. API-key mode: use your own VTU provider credentials, we act as the routing layer. You pay a small per-transaction platform fee but keep all provider margins. Ideal for high-volume merchants with pre-existing supplier relationships.
How fast are transactions processed?
Airtime and data typically complete in under 5 seconds. Cable TV subscriptions and electricity tokens usually return within 10-30 seconds depending on the operator. Every response tells you the exact status — success, pending, or failed — so your application can react immediately. Our reconciliation cron re-checks pending and failed transactions every 5 minutes and auto-settles wallet balances if the provider later confirms delivery.
What happens if a transaction fails?
If a purchase fails at the routing layer, no money leaves your wallet. If it fails after the wallet was debited (rare — usually a provider timeout that later reveals as a success or hard failure), the reconciliation cron restores your balance automatically within minutes. You can also call the /api/v1/transactionstatus endpoint any time to force a live requery against the upstream provider and settle the wallet immediately if the provider disagrees with our current record.
How much does VTUGATE cost?
Signup and account creation are free. Only your transactions are charged. In managed mode you pay nothing extra — you actually earn a commission. In API-key mode you pay a small per-transaction platform fee (as low as ₦0.5 for airtime, ₦2 for electricity, ₦10 for data / cable TV / education). No monthly fees, no minimum volume commitments, no setup fees. See the pricing section above for the full breakdown.
Is VTUGATE secure?
Yes. All API traffic is encrypted with HTTPS/TLS. API keys are stored hashed and rotatable from your dashboard. Provider credentials you supply in API-key mode are encrypted at rest. Wallet transactions use row-level database locking to prevent double-spending. Every transaction is logged with a snapshot of your wallet balance before and after, so you can reconcile any discrepancy down to the naira.
Start integrating in minutes
Sign up, fund your wallet or add your provider keys, and your first API call works immediately.