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Overview

Paystack is a payment gateway for African businesses, supporting card payments, mobile money, and bank transfers. TelemanAI integrates with Paystack for seamless subscription payments.

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Prerequisites

  • Paystack business account
  • API keys (Public and Secret)
  • Verified business in Nigeria, Ghana, or South Africa

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Configuration

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Environment Variables

Add these variables to your .env file: 
# Paystack Configuration
PAYSTACK_PUBLIC_KEY=pk_live_your_public_key
PAYSTACK_SECRET_KEY=sk_live_your_secret_key
PAYSTACK_PAYMENT_URL=https://api.paystack.co
MERCHANT_EMAIL=[email protected]
MERCHANT_CURRENCY=NGN
PAYSTACK=YES
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PAYSTACK_PUBLIC_KEY
string
required
Your Paystack public key for initializing payments
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PAYSTACK_SECRET_KEY
string
required
Your Paystack secret key for API authentication
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PAYSTACK_PAYMENT_URL
string
API endpoint (default: https://api.paystack.co)
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MERCHANT_EMAIL
string
required
Your business email registered with Paystack
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MERCHANT_CURRENCY
string
Currency code: NGN (Nigeria), GHS (Ghana), ZAR (South Africa)
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PAYSTACK
string
Set to YES to enable, NO to disable

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Supported Currencies

  • NGN - Nigerian Naira
  • GHS - Ghanaian Cedi
  • ZAR - South African Rand
  • USD - US Dollar (for international cards)

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Setup Steps

1

Create Paystack Account

Register at paystack.com and complete KYC verification.
2

Get API Keys

Go to Settings → API Keys & Webhooks in your Paystack dashboard.
Use test keys (pk_test_, sk_test_) during development.
3

Configure Environment

Add your Paystack credentials to .env as shown above.
4

Set Up Webhooks

Add webhook URL in Paystack dashboard:
https://your-domain.com/paystack/callback
5

Enable Gateway

Set PAYSTACK=YES and restart your application:
php artisan config:clear
php artisan cache:clear
6

Test Payment

Use Paystack test cards:
  • Card: 4084084084084081
  • CVV: 408
  • Expiry: Any future date
  • PIN: 0000

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Payment Methods

Paystack supports multiple payment methods:
  • Card Payments - Visa, Mastercard, Verve
  • Bank Transfer - Direct bank transfers
  • USSD - Mobile banking codes
  • QR Code - Scan to pay
  • Mobile Money - MTN, Vodafone, Airtel

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Testing

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Test Cards

Card NumberTypeCVVPINResult
4084084084084081Visa4080000Success
5060666666666666666Verve1230000Success
507850785078507812Verve8840000Insufficient funds

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Test Mode Keys

PAYSTACK_PUBLIC_KEY=pk_test_your_test_key
PAYSTACK_SECRET_KEY=sk_test_your_test_key

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Webhook Events

Paystack sends webhook notifications for:
  • charge.success - Payment successful
  • charge.failed - Payment failed
  • subscription.create - Recurring subscription created
  • subscription.disable - Subscription cancelled

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Troubleshooting

  • Verify API keys are correct
  • Check PAYSTACK=YES is set
  • Ensure email matches Paystack account
  • Clear config cache
  • Verify webhook URL is publicly accessible
  • Check webhook secret is configured
  • Test webhook using Paystack dashboard
  • Enable HTTPS for production
  • Verify your Paystack account country
  • NGN, GHS, ZAR only for local accounts
  • USD requires international verification

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Security

Never commit API keys to version control. Always use environment variables.
  • Store keys securely in .env
  • Use HTTPS in production
  • Verify webhook signatures
  • Monitor for suspicious transactions
  • Implement rate limiting

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Next Steps

Flutterwave

Alternative African payment gateway

Payment Overview

Compare all payment gateways

Subscription Setup

Configure pricing packages

Stripe

International payment option

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