MTN MoMo API Ghana Ivory Coast: integrate Mobile Money 2026

MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) operates in 16 African countries: Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Uganda, Rwanda, Benin, Congo, etc. 70M+ active users. To sell in these countries, MoMo is essential. MTN launched MoMo Open API 2019 for developer integration. Here's a complete 2026 guide.

TL;DR

- MTN MoMo Open API: standardized multi-country public API.

- Collection: receive customer payments (equivalent M-Pesa C2B).

- Disbursement: send payouts (B2C).

- Fees: 1-3% per transaction per country + volume.

MTN MoMo coverage 2026

MTN MoMo Developer Portal registration

• Go to momodeveloper.mtn.com
• Create developer account
• Subscribe to a product:
• Collections (receive payments)
• Disbursements (payouts)
• Remittance (transfers)
• Get Subscription Key
• Create API User + API Key (programmatic)
• Sandbox first, then production after KYC

Collections integration (Node.js)

Step 1 — create API user (one-time)

`typescript

import axios from 'axios';

import { v4 as uuid } from 'uuid';

async function createApiUser() {

const referenceId = uuid();

await axios.post(

'https://sandbox.momodeveloper.mtn.com/v1_0/apiuser',

{ providerCallbackHost: 'kolonell.com' },

{

headers: {

'X-Reference-Id': referenceId,

'Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key': process.env.MOMO_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY,

},

}

);

// Create API Key for this user

const apiKey = await axios.post(

https://sandbox.momodeveloper.mtn.com/v1_0/apiuser/${referenceId}/apikey,

null,

{

headers: {

'Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key': process.env.MOMO_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY,

},

}

);

return { userId: referenceId, apiKey: apiKey.data.apiKey };

}

`

Step 2 — get token

`typescript

async function getMomoToken() {

const auth = Buffer.from(

${process.env.MOMO_USER_ID}:${process.env.MOMO_API_KEY}

).toString('base64');

const res = await axios.post(

'https://sandbox.momodeveloper.mtn.com/collection/token/',

null,

{

headers: {

Authorization: Basic ${auth},

'Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key': process.env.MOMO_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY,

},

}

);

return res.data.access_token;

}

`

Step 3 — initiate payment (request to pay)

`typescript

async function requestToPay({

phoneNumber, // E.164 MSISDN format without +

amount,

currency, // GHS, XOF, EUR, etc.

externalId,

payerMessage,

payeeNote,

}) {

const token = await getMomoToken();

const referenceId = uuid();

await axios.post(

'https://sandbox.momodeveloper.mtn.com/collection/v1_0/requesttopay',

{

amount: amount.toString(),

currency,

externalId,

payer: {

partyIdType: 'MSISDN',

partyId: phoneNumber,

},

payerMessage,

payeeNote,

},

{

headers: {

Authorization: Bearer ${token},

'X-Reference-Id': referenceId,

'X-Target-Environment': 'sandbox', // or 'mtnghana', 'mtncotedivoire', etc.

'Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key': process.env.MOMO_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY,

'Content-Type': 'application/json',

},

}

);

return referenceId; // Save for query

}

`

Step 4 — check status

`typescript

async function queryPayment(referenceId: string) {

const token = await getMomoToken();

const res = await axios.get(

https://sandbox.momodeveloper.mtn.com/collection/v1_0/requesttopay/${referenceId},

{

headers: {

Authorization: Bearer ${token},

'X-Target-Environment': 'sandbox',

'Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key': process.env.MOMO_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY,

},

}

);

return res.data;

// { status: 'SUCCESSFUL' | 'PENDING' | 'FAILED', ... }

}

`

Standard e-commerce checkout workflow

`

• User: enters phone number + amount
• Frontend: POST /api/payment {phone, amount}
• Backend: call requestToPay → receives referenceId
• Backend: saves {referenceId, orderId, status: 'PENDING'} in DB
• Frontend: shows "Check your phone"
• User: receives MoMo USSD/popup prompt, validates PIN
• Backend: polls queryPayment(referenceId) every 5s for 60s
• Backend: SUCCESSFUL status → mark order paid
• Frontend: success redirect

`

Disbursements (B2C payouts)

For payouts (refunds, payroll, marketplace):

`typescript

async function transfer({

phoneNumber,

amount,

currency,

externalId,

}) {

const token = await getDisbursementToken(); // Disbursement endpoint

const referenceId = uuid();

await axios.post(

'https://sandbox.momodeveloper.mtn.com/disbursement/v1_0/transfer',

{

amount: amount.toString(),

currency,

externalId,

payee: {

partyIdType: 'MSISDN',

partyId: phoneNumber,

},

payerMessage: 'Payout',

payeeNote: 'Order refund',

},

{

headers: {

Authorization: Bearer ${token},

'X-Reference-Id': referenceId,

'X-Target-Environment': 'mtnghana',

'Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key': process.env.MOMO_DISBURSEMENT_KEY,

},

}

);

return referenceId;

}

`

Country specifics

Ghana

• Currency: GHS
• Target environment: mtnghana
• Fees: 1.5% in Collections
• Open Banking: Direct GH (competitiveness)

Ivory Coast

• Currency: XOF
• Target environment: mtncotedivoire
• Fees: 2% Collections
• Competition: Orange Money (Wave more minor)

Cameroon

• Currency: XAF (CEMAC)
• Target environment: mtncameroon
• Fees: 2.5%

Uganda

• Currency: UGX
• Target environment: mtnuganda
• Fees: 1.5-2%

Common mistakes

• Wrong Target Environment — different sandbox vs prod per country.
• No unique X-Reference-Id — duplicates rejected.
• Incorrect MSISDN format — without + without 00.
• Wrong product Subscription Key — Collections vs Disbursements ≠.
• Not checking float account — Disbursements fail if empty balance.

2026 pricing

Volumes negotiable >10M XOF/month.

Pan-African alternatives

• DPO Group: multi-country aggregator, MoMo + cards + crypto
• Flutterwave: Nigeria-leader aggregator, supports MoMo
• Paystack: Nigeria-first, expand MoMo Ghana CI
• PayDunya: Senegal/CI-first, MoMo + Wave + cards

For multi-country startup, aggregator simpler than direct MoMo.

FAQ

Q: MoMo Ivory Coast or Orange Money?

A: Both. Orange Money 50% CI, MoMo 35%. Aggregator (DPO/Flutterwave) covers both.

Q: MoMo business account vs personal?

A: Mandatory business account for API. Creation via local MTN agencies.

Q: KYC duration?

A: 5-15 days after complete deposit. Incorporation docs + KYC directors.

Conclusion

MTN MoMo API 2026 = essential for Ghana / IC / Cameroon. Standardized Open API but per-country setup. For multi-country Africa, aggregator (DPO/Flutterwave) often simpler. For single market scaling, direct MoMo integration wins on margins.