The verdict in three sentences
An aggregator (Paystack, Flutterwave, a local PSP) gets you collecting within 48 hours with no technical team, but stacks a surcharge of 0.5 to 1.3 points on commission. A direct integration to MTN and Moov APIs costs roughly 400,000 FCFA upfront but trims commission to 1.5-2%. Above a volume of about 3.5 million FCFA/month, direct becomes cheaper; below it, the aggregator wins.
The fee-by-fee calculation
The real difference is not on the rate card but across twelve months, once you factor in development, maintenance and reconciliation.
| Item (Accra, 2026) | Aggregator | Direct integration |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction commission | 2.5-3.2% | 1.5-2.0% |
| Upfront development | 0 FCFA | 400,000 FCFA |
| Time to go live | 2 days | 3 weeks |
| Annual maintenance | Included | 120,000 FCFA |
| Reconciliation effort | Low (1 dashboard) | Medium (2-3 flows) |
| Incident support | Shared | On you |
In Accra the gap is similar: Paystack charges around 1.95% all-in, while a direct MTN integration drops toward 1% but requires a merchant contract and dedicated development.
Where your break-even sits
The threshold depends on volume: the more you collect, the faster commission savings amortize the development cost.
| Monthly volume | Aggregator cost (2.8%) | Direct cost (1.7% + amort.) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000,000 FCFA | 28,000 FCFA | 60,300 FCFA | Aggregator |
| 3,000,000 FCFA | 84,000 FCFA | 94,300 FCFA | Aggregator |
| 3,500,000 FCFA | 98,000 FCFA | 103,800 FCFA | Tie |
| 5,000,000 FCFA | 140,000 FCFA | 128,800 FCFA | Direct |
| 10,000,000 FCFA | 280,000 FCFA | 213,800 FCFA | Direct |
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(Development amortized over 12 months: 400,000 FCFA + 120,000 FCFA = 43,300 FCFA/month.)
Mini case study
Awa runs an online grocery in Accra with 6,000,000 FCFA/month in volume. On an aggregator at 2.8% she pays 168,000 FCFA/month, i.e. 2,016,000 FCFA/year. On direct integration at 1.7%, commission falls to 102,000 FCFA/month, plus 43,300 FCFA amortization: total 145,300 FCFA/month. Saving: 22,700 FCFA/month, or 272,400 FCFA/year. Development is repaid in under three months.
FAQ
Can you start on an aggregator then switch to direct? Yes, and it is often the best strategy: validate the market in 48 h with an aggregator, then migrate to direct once volume passes 3.5 million FCFA/month. Plan a modular payment architecture to avoid a full rewrite.
Is direct integration more fragile? It demands more vigilance on webhooks and API updates, hence the 120,000 FCFA/year maintenance. In return, you do not depend on a single third party's uptime.
Are aggregator fees negotiable? Above a certain volume (often 10 million FCFA/month), most aggregators grant discounts of 0.2 to 0.5 points. That can push your break-even further out.
Do you need a merchant contract for direct? Yes, MTN and Moov require a valid merchant account (business KYC), with an opening delay of 1 to 3 weeks in 2026. That is the main source of delay.
Let's talk about your project. We compute your real break-even and build a scalable aggregator -> direct payment architecture. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
