Africa's Talking

Africa's Talking is a leading USSD gateway serving multiple African countries.

Supported Countries

Prerequisites

1. An Africa's Talking account
2. A USSD shortcode (sandbox or production)
3. API credentials from your dashboard

Setup Steps

Step 1: Get Your Credentials

1. Log in to Africa's Talking Dashboard
2. Go to Settings → API Key
3. Copy your Username and API Key

Step 2: Configure in StarHash

1. In StarHash Studio, go to Settings → Providers
2. Click Add Provider
3. Select Africa's Talking
4. Enter your credentials:

5. Click Save

Step 3: Set Up Callback URL

1. In Africa's Talking Dashboard, go to USSD → Callback URLs
2. Enter your StarHash callback URL:

https://api.starhash.dev/hooks/africas_talking/{instance_id}

3. Click Save

Step 4: Deploy Your Flow

1. In StarHash Studio, open your flow
2. Click Deploy
3. Select the Africa's Talking instance
4. Click Publish

Sandbox Testing

Africa's Talking provides a free sandbox for testing:

Enable Sandbox

1. In your AT dashboard, switch to Sandbox
2. Use your sandbox API key in StarHash
3. Use the simulator in AT dashboard to test

Sandbox Limitations

• No real USSD traffic
• Limited to simulator testing
• Free, no charges

Session Timeout

Sessions timeout after 3 minutes of inactivity. Design your flows to complete within this window.

Troubleshooting

Best Practices

1. Keep responses fast - Respond within 10 seconds
2. Handle timeouts - Design flows for 3-minute sessions
3. Test in sandbox - Always test before production
4. Monitor errors - Check StarHash analytics for failures

Pricing

Africa's Talking charges per session:

Check Africa's Talking Pricing for current rates.

Next Steps