This SDK provides convenient access to the Africa's Talking API from apps written in Java/Kotlin/Scala.

Take a look at the API docs here.

You can depend on the jars through Maven (from https://jitpack.io):

<repositories>
  <repository>
    <id>jitpack.io</id>
    <url>https://jitpack.io</url>
  </repository>
</repositories>
...
<dependency>
  <groupId>com.github.AfricasTalkingLtd.africastalking-java</groupId>
  <artifactId>core</artifactId>
  <version>3.4.8</version>
</dependency>

or sbt:

resolvers += "jitpack" at "https://jitpack.io"
// Get all services
libraryDependencies += "com.github.AfricasTalkingLtd.africastalking-java" % "core" % "3.4.8"	

or Gradle (Groovy DSL):

repositories {
  maven {
    url  "https://jitpack.io"
  }
}

dependencies{
  // Get all services
  implementation 'com.github.AfricasTalkingLtd.africastalking-java:core:3.4.8'

or Gradle (Kotlin DSL):

repositories {
    jcenter()
    maven { setUrl("https://jitpack.io") }
}

dependencies{
  // Get all services
  implementation("com.github.AfricasTalkingLtd.africastalking-java:core:3.4.8")
}

The SDK needs to be initialized with your app username and API key, which you get from the dashboard.

You can use this SDK for either production or sandbox apps. For sandbox, the app username is ALWAYS sandbox

// Initialize
String username = "YOUR_USERNAME";    // use 'sandbox' for development in the test environment
String apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";       // use your sandbox app API key for development in the test environment
AfricasTalking.initialize(username, apiKey);

// Initialize a service e.g. SMS
SmsService sms = AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_SMS);

// Use the service
List<Recipient> response = sms.send("Hello Message!", new String[] {"+2547xxxxxx"}, true);

See example for more usage examples.

The following static methods are available on the AfricasTalking class to initialize the library:

• initialize(string username, String apiKey): Initialize the library.

• setLogger(Logger): Set logging object.

• getService(Service.class | AfricasTalking.SERVICE_*): Get an instance to a given service by name or by class:

  • SMS Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_SMS)
  • Airtime Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_AIRTIME)
  • Payment Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_PAYMENT)
  • Voice Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_VOICE)
  • Token Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_TOKEN)
  • Application Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_APPLICATION)

Note on USSD: For more information, please read this

All methods are synchronous (i.e. will block current thread) but provide asynchronous variants that take a com.africastalking.Callback<?> as the last argument.

All phone numbers use the international format. e.g. +234xxxxxxxx.

• fetchApplicationData(): Get app information. e.g. balance

• setIdempotencyKey(String key): Set the Idempotency-Key for the next request. Call this function every time before calling send() if you're sending the same amount to the same phone number.

• send(String phoneNumber, String currencyCode, float amount): Send airtime to a phone number. Example amount would be KES 150.

• send(HashMap<String,String> recipients): Send airtime to many of phone numbers. The keys in the recipients map are phone numbers while the values are airtime amounts. The amounts need to have currency info e.g. UXG 4265.

For more information about status notification, please read the airtime documentation

• send(String message, String from, String[] recipients, boolean enqueue): Send a message.

  • message: SMS content
  • from: Short code or alphanumeric ID that is registered with Africa's Talking account.
  • recipients: An array of phone numbers.
  • enqueue: Set to true if you would like to deliver as many messages to the API without waiting for an acknowledgement from telcos.

• sendPremium(String message, String keyword, String linkId, long retryDurationInHours, String[] recipients): Send a premium SMS

  • message: SMS content
  • keyword: You premium product keyword
  • linkId: "[...] We forward the linkId to your application when the user send a message to your service"
  • retryDurationInHours: "It specifies the number of hours your subscription message should be retried in case it's not delivered to the subscriber"
  • recipients: An array of phon numbers.

• fetchMessages(long lastReceivedId): Fetch your messages

  • lastReceivedId: "This is the id of the message that you last processed". Defaults to 0

• fetchSubscriptions(String shortCode, String keyword, long lastReceivedId): Fetch your premium subscription data.

  • shortCode: This is the premium short code mapped to your account.
  • keyword: A premium keyword under the above short code and mapped to your account.
  • lastReceivedId: "This is the id of the message that you last processed". Defaults to 0

• createSubscription(String shortCode, String keyword, String phoneNumber): Create a premium subscription.

  • shortCode: This is the premium short code mapped to your account.
  • keyword: A premium keyword under the above short code and mapped to your account.
  • phoneNumber: The phone number to be subscribed

• deleteSubscription(String shortCode, String keyword, String phoneNumber): Remove a phone number from a premium subscription.

  • shortCode: This is the premium short code mapped to your account.
  • keyword: A premium keyword under the above short code and mapped to your account.
  • phoneNumber: The phone number to be unsubscribed

For more information, read the following:

• How to receive SMS
• How to get notified of delivery reports
• How to listen for subscription notifications

• cardCheckoutCharge(String productName, String currencyCode, float amount, PaymentCard paymentCard, String narration, Map metadata): Initiate card checkout charge.

  • productName: Your payment product
  • currencyCode: Currency code e.g. NGN
  • amount: Amount to charge
  • paymentCard: Card to charge. See PaymentCard class.
  • narration: Checkout description
  • metadata: Additional info to go with the checkout

• cardCheckoutValidate(String transactionId, String otp): Validate a card checkout

  • transactionId: Transaction ID returned on charge request
  • otp: A user-provided OTP

• bankCheckoutCharge(String productName, String currencyCode, float amount, BankAccount bankAccount, String narration, Map metadata): Initiate bank checkout.

  • productName: Your payment product
  • currencyCode: Currency code e.g. NGN
  • amount: Amount to charge
  • bankAccount: Bank account to charge. See BankAccount class.
  • narration: Checkout description
  • metadata: Additional info to go with the checkout

• bankCheckoutValidate(String transactionId, String otp): Validate a bank checkout

  • transactionId: Transaction ID returned on charge request
  • otp: A user-provided OTP

• bankTransfer(String productName, List<Bank> recipients): Move money form payment wallet to bank account

  • productName: Your payment product
  • recipients: A list of banks to transfer to. See Bank class

• mobileCheckout(String productName, String phoneNumber, String currencyCode, float amount, String providerChannel): Initiate mobile checkout.

  • productName: Your payment product
  • phoneNumber: Mobile wallet to charge
  • currencyCode: Currency code e.g. KES
  • amount: Amount to charge
  • providerChannel: The provider channel the payment will be initiated from e.g a paybill number. OPTIONAL

• mobileB2C(String productName, List<Consumer> recipients): Send mobile money to consumer.

  • productName: Your payment product
  • recipients: A list of consumers that will receive the money. See Consumer class.

• mobileB2B(String productName, Business recipient): Send mobile money to business.

  • productName: Your payment product
  • recipient: A business recipient of the money. See Business class

• mobileData(String productName, List<MobileDataRecipient> recipients): Send mobile data to recipients.

  • productName: Your payment product
  • recipients: A list of phone users that will receive the mobile data. See MobileDataRecipient class.

• walletTransfer(String productName, long targetProductCode, String currencyCode, float amount, HashMap<String, String> metadata): Move money form one payment product to another.

  • productName: Your payment product
  • targetProductCode: ID of recipient payment product on Africa's Talking
  • currencyCode: Currency code e.g. RWF
  • amount: Amount to transfer
  • metadata: Additional info to go with the transfer

• topupStash(String productName, String currencyCode, float amount, HashMap<String, String> metadata): Move money from payment product to app's stash.

  • productName: Your payment product
  • currencyCode: Currency code e.g. KES
  • amount: Amount to transfer
  • metadata: Additional info to go with the transfer

• fetchProductTransactions(String productName, HashMap<String, String> filters): Fetch payment product transactions.

  • productName: Your payment product

  • filters: Query filters. Includes:

    • pageNumber: Page number to fetch results from. Starts from 1. REQUIRED
    • count: Number of results to fetch. REQUIRED
    • startDate: Start Date to consider when fetching.
    • endDate: End Date to consider when fetching.
    • category: Category to consider when fetching.
    • prodiver: Provider to consider when fetching.
    • status: Status to consider when fetching.
    • source: Source to consider when fetching.
    • destination: Destination to consider when fetching.
    • providerChannel: Provider channel to consider when fetching.

• findTransaction(String transactionId): Find a particular transaction.

• fetchWalletTransactions(HashMap<String, String> filters): Fetch wallet transactions.

  • filters: Query filter. Includes:
    • pageNumber: Page number to fetch results from. Starts from 1. REQUIRED
    • count: Number of results to fetch. REQUIRED
    • startDate: Start Date to consider when fetching.
    • endDate: End Date to consider when fetching.
    • categories: Comma delimited list of categories to consider when fetching.

• fetchWalletBalance(): Fetch your wallet's balance

For more information, please read the payments documentation.

• call(String phoneNumber): Initiate a phone call

  • phoneNumber: Phone number to call

• fetchQueuedCalls(String phoneNumber): Get queued calls on a phone number.

  • phoneNumber: Your Africa's Talking issued virtual phone number

• uploadMediaFile(String phoneNumber, String url): Upload voice media file

  • phoneNumber: Your Africa's Talking issued virtual phone number
  • url: URL to your media file.

• ActionBuilder: Build voice xml when callback URL receives a POST from Africa's Talking

  • say(): Add a Say action.

  • play(): Add a Play action.

  • getDigits(): Add a GetDigits action.

  • dial(): Add a Dial action.

  • conference(): Add a Conferemce action.

  • record(): Add a Record action.

  • enqueue(): Add a Enqueue action.

  • dequeue(): Add a Dequeue action.

  • reject(): Add a Reject action.

  • redirect(): Add a Redirect action.

  • build(): Finally build the xml

For more information on voice, please read the documentation

• generateAuthToken(): Generate an auth token to use for authentication instead of an API key.

$ git clone https://github.com/aksalj/africastalking-java.git
$ cd africastalking-java
$ touch local.properties

Make sure your local.properties file has the following content then run ./gradlew build

# AT API
api.username=sandbox
api.key=some_key

If you find a bug, please file an issue on our issue tracker on GitHub.