Telecom and payments APIs for building mobile engagement
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USSD powers some of the most resilient digital services in Africa, letting people dial a short code like *123# to complete tasks on any phone, even without mobile data. It is a core channel for mobile money, payments, customer self service, and last mile service delivery where smartphones, apps, or stable internet are not guaranteed. For many communities, USSD is the fastest path to inclusion because it works on feature phones, is familiar, and is available across networks.
When choosing USSD-enabled products, look beyond a simple “USSD supported” claim and confirm that the menu genuinely drives key workflows, such as registration, balance checks, transfers, bill pay, KYC prompts, or service requests. Important evaluation points include telco coverage and shortcode provisioning, session timeouts and menu depth, language support, reliability under peak traffic, pricing per session, and how well USSD connects to existing systems via APIs. It also helps to assess fraud controls, audit trails, and settlement options when the use case touches Bill Payments, Remittances, Lending and Loans, or a Payment Gateway.
Liners reviews USSD products with an Africa-first lens, prioritizing solutions where USSD is a primary interaction channel, not an afterthought, and validating real-world fit across sectors like Fintech, Health Tech, Agri Tech, EdTech, and Communication & Social. Browse this page to compare how each option handles networks, user experience, compliance, and integrations, whether you are building like Africa’s Talking or operating services similar to M-PESA.
USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) is a text-based communication protocol that works on any mobile phone, including basic feature phones without internet access. In Africa, USSD remains critical because it enables financial services, information access, and business transactions for the hundreds of millions of people without smartphones.
USSD powers mobile money transactions, airtime purchases, bank balance inquiries, bill payments, government service access, agricultural market prices, health information, and business applications. It is the backbone of financial inclusion, reaching populations that internet-based apps cannot.
Businesses use USSD gateway providers that handle the telecom integration and provide APIs or drag-and-drop builders for creating USSD menus and flows. These platforms manage sessions, handle multi-step interactions, and connect to backend systems for data processing.
USSD sessions have short timeouts, limiting interaction complexity. Menus are text-only with limited characters per screen. Users must navigate through numbered menu options. Despite these constraints, well-designed USSD applications are remarkably effective at delivering essential services to low-connectivity populations.
While app adoption is growing with smartphone penetration, USSD remains essential for reaching the broad population. Many services offer both USSD and app interfaces, recognizing that different users have different access levels. USSD will remain relevant in Africa for years to come as the transition to smartphones continues gradually.
Telecom and payments APIs for building mobile engagement
Run email, SMS, voice, WhatsApp, USSD, and push in one place
+12
Reach, verify, and support customers across mobile channels
+19
APIs for messaging, voice, and digital payments in frontier markets
+12
Send money, pay bills, and buy airtime by phone
Digital banking, transfers, and bill payments by phone number
+65
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