Introduction

The SilentAPI API is organised around REST. It accepts JSON request bodies, returns JSON responses and uses standard HTTP status codes. All amounts are integers in kobo (₦1 = 100 kobo).

Authentication

Authenticate with your secret key in the Authorization header. Keys starting sk_test_ operate in test mode; sk_live_ moves real money. Get your keys →

Authorization: Bearer sk_test_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Errors

Every response has a boolean status and a human-readable message. Validation errors include an errors object keyed by field.

Initialize a payment

Creates a pending transaction and returns a hosted checkout URL. Redirect your customer to authorization_url.

curl -X POST https://silentapi.site/api/v1/transactions/initialize.php \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "amount": 500000,
  "email": "ada@example.com",
  "name": "Ada Okafor",
  "reference": "order_10293",
  "callback_url": "https://yourapp.com/paid",
  "metadata": { "order_id": 10293 }
}'

{
  "status": true,
  "message": "Transaction initialized",
  "data": {
    "reference": "order_10293",
    "authorization_url": "https://silentapi.site/api/v1/../../checkout.php?ref=order_10293",
    "amount": 500000,
    "fee": 7500,
    "status": "pending"
  }
}

Verify a payment

Always verify server-side before delivering value. Check that status is success and the amount matches.

curl https://silentapi.site/api/v1/transactions/verify.php?reference=order_10293 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…"

{
  "status": true,
  "data": {
    "reference": "order_10293",
    "status": "success",
    "amount": 500000,
    "fee": 7500,
    "net": 492500,
    "channel": "card",
    "paid_at": "2026-10-08T10:21:44+01:00"
  }
}

List transactions

Paginated, newest first. Query: status, page, per_page (max 100).

curl https://silentapi.site/api/v1/transactions/list.php \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…"

Wallet balance

Returns the available balance for the key's mode, in kobo.

curl https://silentapi.site/api/v1/balance.php \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…"

{
  "status": true,
  "data": { "currency": "NGN", "available": 12500000, "mode": "test" }
}

Create virtual account

Issues an account for a customer. type is dedicated (a permanent account number) or dynamic (no fixed number: share payment_url, and each payment gets a fresh account number valid 30 minutes). Successful transfers trigger charge.success.

curl -X POST https://silentapi.site/api/v1/virtual-accounts/create.php \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "customer_name": "Chinedu Eze",
  "customer_email": "chinedu@example.com"
}'

{
  "status": true,
  "data": {
    "reference": "VAC_261008A1B2C3D4E5F6",
    "account_number": "9912345678",
    "account_name": "Your Biz / Chinedu Eze",
    "bank_name": "SilentAPI Test Bank"
  }
}

List virtual accounts

Paginated list of accounts issued in the key's mode.

curl https://silentapi.site/api/v1/virtual-accounts/list.php \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…"

Create a transfer (payout)

Debits your wallet (amount + fee) and sends money to a bank account. Test transfers settle instantly; live ones settle within one business day.

curl -X POST https://silentapi.site/api/v1/transfers/create.php \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "amount": 2000000,
  "bank_code": "058",
  "account_number": "0123456789",
  "account_name": "Ada Okafor",
  "narration": "Vendor payment",
  "reference": "payout_7781"
}'

List / fetch transfers

Pass ?reference= to fetch a single transfer.

curl https://silentapi.site/api/v1/transfers/list.php \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…"

Refund a payment

Refunds all or part of a successful payment. Your wallet is debited immediately; if the card network rejects the refund the money is returned to your wallet and you receive refund.failed. Bank-transfer deposits to virtual accounts can't be refunded — send a transfer instead.

curl -X POST https://silentapi.site/api/v1/refunds/create.php \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "transaction": "order_10293",
  "amount": 200000,
  "merchant_note": "Item out of stock"
}'

{
  "status": true,
  "message": "Refund pending",
  "data": {
    "reference": "RFD_2610089A1B2C3D4E5F",
    "transaction_reference": "order_10293",
    "amount": 200000,
    "status": "pending"
  }
}

List / fetch refunds

Paginated list. Pass ?reference= to fetch one refund.

curl https://silentapi.site/api/v1/refunds/list.php \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…"

List banks

Supported Nigerian banks and their codes.

curl https://silentapi.site/api/v1/banks.php \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…"

Resolve account name

Confirms the account holder's name before you send a transfer. Always show this name to your user before paying out.

curl https://silentapi.site/api/v1/resolve-account.php?account_number=0123456789&bank_code=058 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_test_…"

{
  "status": true,
  "data": {
    "account_number": "0123456789",
    "bank_code": "058",
    "account_name": "ADA OKAFOR"
  }
}

Webhooks

We send a POST with a JSON body to your webhook URL whenever an event happens. Respond with any 2xx quickly and process the event asynchronously. Verify every request with the X-SilentAPI-Signature header — an HMAC-SHA512 of the raw body using your webhook signing secret.

// PHP
$payload = file_get_contents('php://input');
$expected = hash_hmac('sha512', $payload, getenv('SILENTAPI_WEBHOOK_SECRET'));
if (!hash_equals($expected, $_SERVER['HTTP_X_SILENTAPI_SIGNATURE'] ?? '')) {
    http_response_code(401); exit;
}
$event = json_decode($payload, true);
if ($event['event'] === 'charge.success') {
    // re-verify via /transactions/verify.php, then fulfil the order
}
http_response_code(200);

// Node.js (Express)
const sig = crypto.createHmac('sha512', process.env.SILENTAPI_WEBHOOK_SECRET)
  .update(req.rawBody).digest('hex');
if (sig !== req.get('X-SilentAPI-Signature')) return res.sendStatus(401);

Events: charge.success, charge.failed, transfer.success, transfer.failed, refund.processed, refund.failed, ping.

Test mode

Use your sk_test_ key to build safely. The hosted checkout lets you simulate successful or declined payments, test virtual accounts accept simulated deposits from the dashboard, and test transfers settle instantly. Nothing in test mode touches real money.