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Dedicated Virtual Accounts

Learn how to create virtual accounts for your customers to pay you with.

Feature Availability
This feature is only available to registered businesses in Nigeria that have successfully completed the go-live process.

Introduction

Dedicated Virtual Accounts is a feature on the Paystack Dashboard and API that lets you create dedicated Nigerian bank accounts for your customers to pay you with.

When you create a dedicated virtual account for a customer, all bank transfers to that account will automatically be recorded as transactions from that customer.

To assign a dedicated virtual account to a customer, you need to:

  1. Create a customer
  2. Set up webhooks
  3. Validate a customer
  4. Create a dedicated virtual account

Create a customer

A dedicated virtual account is tied to a customer so you need to create a customer by passing the email, first_name, last_name and phone to the Create customerAPI.

If the customer already exists on your platform, kindly ensure the customer's first_name, last_name and phone are set. This is because we need the customer's details to create a bank account. For customers created without these details, you can update the customer record by passing first_name, last_name and phone when creating the virtual account with  Create Dedicated Virtual AccountAPI

Set up webhooks

Bank transfers happen from external sources and we only get notified after the transfer is complete. The only way to know when a payment has been done is through webhooks.

The charge.success webhook event lets you know when you've received a bank transfer payment. Here's a sample authorization object in the charge.success event for a dedicated virtual account payment:

  • JSON
1{
2  ...
3 "authorization": {
4    "authorization_code": "AUTH_0ozsafcpdf",
5    "bin": "413XXX",
6    "last4": "X011",
7    "exp_month": "01",
8    "exp_year": "2020",
9    "channel": "dedicated_nuban",
10    "card_type": "transfer",
11    "bank": "First City Monument Bank",
12    "country_code": "NG",
13    "brand": "Managed Account",
14    "reusable": false,
15    "signature": null,
16    "sender_bank": "First City Monument Bank",
17    "sender_bank_account_number": "XXXXXX0011",
18    "sender_country": "NG",
19    "sender_name": "RANDALL AKANBI HORTON",
20    "narration": "NIP: RHODA CHURCH -1123344343/44343231232",
21    "receiver_bank_account_number": "9930000902",
22    "receiver_bank": "Wema Bank"
23  },
24   ...
25 }

Validate a customer

For compliance reasons, businesses that offer their services under the business categories - Betting, Financial services, and General services can only generate bank account numbers for customers whose personal identity information has been validated. This information is then used in naming the bank account number. Here's how to validate a customer's identity.

Get Customer's Consent
Generating a dedicated virtual account requires personal customer information, and should only be used with a customer's express consent, not by default.

Create a dedicated virtual account

To create a dedicated virtual account for a customer, send a POST request to our Create Dedicated Virtual AccountAPI.

Supported banks
We currently support Access Bank and Wema Bank. You can get available banks using the Fetch ProvidersAPI endpoint.
Show Response
1curl https://api.paystack.co/dedicated_account
2-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SECRET_KEY"
3-H "Content-Type: application/json"
4-d '{ "customer": "CUS_358xertt55", "preferred_bank": "access-bank"}'
5-X POST
1{
2    "status": true,
3    "message": "NUBAN successfully created",
4    "data": {
5      "bank": {
6        "name": "Access Bank",
7        "id": 1,
8        "slug": "access-bank"
9      },
10      "account_name": "KaroKart Rhoda Church",
11      "account_number": "9930000737",
12      "assigned": true,
13      "currency": "NGN",
14      "metadata": null,
15      "active": true,
16      "id": 253,
17      "created_at": "2019-12-12T12:39:04.000Z",
18      "updated_at": "2020-01-06T15:51:24.000Z",
19      "assignment": {
20        "integration": 100043,
21        "assignee_id": 7454289,
22        "assignee_type": "Customer",
23        "expired": false,
24        "account_type": "PAY-WITH-TRANSFER-RECURRING",
25        "assigned_at": "2020-01-06T15:51:24.764Z"
26      },
27      "customer": {
28        "id": 7454289,
29        "first_name": "Rhoda",
30        "last_name": "Church",
31        "email": "[email protected]",
32        "customer_code": "CUS_kpb3qj71u1m0rw8",
33        "phone": "+2349053267565",
34        "risk_action": "default"
35      }
36    }
37  }

Account naming

When the customer attempts to make a transfer to the created account number, the account name would be in the format:

  1. Access Bank - Product Name Customer Name.
  2. Wema Bank - Product Name / Customer Name.
Account Limit
By default, you can generate up to 1000 dedicated bank accounts for your customers. This limit can be increased upon review of your business and use-case. To increase the limit for your business, please send an email to [email protected]
Testing Dedicated Virtual Accounts
To create Dedicated Virtual Accounts using your test secret key, use test-bank as the preferred_bank in the request body parameters. You can also make a transfer to the test virtual accounts using our demo bank app.

Get a customer's dedicated virtual account

If you want to retrieve a customer's dedicated virtual account, call the Fetch CustomerAPI endpoint. You can retrieve the dedicated virtual account from the dedicated_account object in the response:

  • JSON
1{
2  "status": true,
3  "message": "Customer retrieved",
4  "data": {
5    "transactions": [],
6    "subscriptions": [],
7    "authorizations": [],
8    "first_name": "Rhoda",
9    "last_name": "Church",
10    "email": "[email protected]",
11    "phone": "08154211006",
12    "domain": "live",
13    "customer_code": "CUS_dy1r7ts03zstbq5",
14     ...
15    "dedicated_account": {
16      "bank": {
17        "name": "Wema Bank",
18        "id": 20,
19        "slug": "wema-bank"
20      },
21      "id": 173,
22      "account_name": "KAROKART/RHODA CHURCH",
23      "account_number": "9930020212",
24      "created_at": "2019-12-09T13:31:38.000Z",
25      "updated_at": "2019-12-09T16:04:25.000Z",
26      "currency": "NGN",
27      "active": true,
28      "assigned": true,
29      "assignment": {
30        "assignee_id": 1530104,
31        "assignee_type": "Integration",
32        "account_type": "PAY-WITH-TRANSFER-RECURRING",
33        "integration": 100043
34      }
35    }
36  }
37}

Requery a customer's dedicated virtual account

When a customer makes a transfer to a dedicated virtual account, a transaction is automatically created for the customer, and a webhook is sent to your server to notify you of the transaction. This typically happens within a few minutes.

However, in some cases, the notification could take longer to come in. When this happens, the customer might reach out to you that their account/wallet hasn't been credited, or they would try to refresh their balance in your application.

In this scenario, you can use the Requery Dedicated Virtual AccountAPI endpoint to check the virtual account for new transactions that haven't been processed yet. Calling this endpoint will trigger a background requery process, and if any pending transactions are found, the transaction will be created, and the webhook notification will be sent to your server.

Show Response
1curl https://api.paystack.co/dedicated_account/requery?account_number={accountNumber}&provider_slug={provider_slug}&date={yyyy-mm-dd}
2-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SECRET_KEY"
3-H "Content-Type: application/json"
4-X GET
1{
2  "status": true,
3  "message": "We are checking the status of your transfer. We will send you a notification once it is confirmed"
4}
Rate Limit
You're only allowed to requery a dedicated virtual account once every ten minutes. If you try to requery a dedicated virtual account more than once in a 10 minute window, the request won't be processed.

Split payment on dedicated virtual account

Split payment for dedicated virtual allows you to automatically split funds received into a dedicated virtual account between your main settlement bank account and one or more bank account(s).

Prerequisite
You need a basic knowledge of Split Payments or Multi-split Payments before proceeding with this section.

There are two ways to add split payment on dedicated virtual account:

  1. Add a subaccount when creating a dedicated virtual account
  2. Add a subaccount to an existing dedicated virtual account

For multi-split payment on dedicated virtual account:

  1. Add a split code when creating a dedicated virtual account
  2. Add a split code to an existing dedicated virtual account

Add a subaccount when creating a dedicated virtual account

You can add a subaccount code to the payload when you create a dedicated virtual account for the customer

Show Response
1curl https://api.paystack.co/dedicated_account
2-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SECRET_KEY"
3-H "Content-Type: application/json"
4-d '{ "customer": 481193, "preferred_bank":"wema-bank", 
5      "subaccount": "SUB_ACCOUNTCODE" 
6    }'
7-X POST
1{
2    "status": true,
3    "message": "Assigned Managed Account Successfully Created",
4    "data": {
5      "bank": {
6        "name": "Wema Bank",
7        "id": 20,
8        "slug": "wema-bank"
9      },
10      "account_name": "KAROKART/YINKA ADE",
11      "account_number": "6731105168",
12      "assigned": true,
13      "currency": "NGN",
14      "metadata": null,
15      "active": true,
16      "id": 97,
17      "created_at": "2019-11-13T13:52:39.000Z",
18      "updated_at": "2020-03-17T07:52:23.000Z",
19      "assignment": {
20        "integration": 100043,
21        "assignee_id": 17328,
22        "assignee_type": "Customer",
23        "expired": false,
24        "account_type": "PAY-WITH-TRANSFER-RECURRING",
25        "assigned_at": "2020-03-17T07:52:23.023Z",
26        "expired_at": null
27      },
28      "split_config": {"subaccount":"ACC_qwerty"},
29      "customer": {
30        "id": 17328,
31        "first_name": "YINKA",
32        "last_name": "ADE",
33        "email": "[email protected]",
34        "customer_code": "CUS_xxxxxxxx",
35        "phone": null,
36        "metadata": null,
37        "risk_action": "default"
38      }
39    }
40  }

Add a subaccount to an existing dedicated virtual account

When updating an already existing dedicated virtual account, you can pass a subaccount code as one of the parameters.

Show Response
1curl https://api.paystack.co/dedicated_account/split
2-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SECRET_KEY"
3-H "Content-Type: application/json"
4-d '{ "account_number": "0033322211", "subaccount": "SUB_ACCOUNTCODE" }'
5-X POST
1{
2  "status": true,
3  "message": "Subaccount assigned",
4  "data": {
5    "id": 22495,
6    "account_name": "KAROKART/YINKA ADE",
7    "account_number": "0033322211",
8    "assigned": 1,
9    "currency": "NGN",
10    "metadata": null,
11    "active": 1,
12    "last_assignment_id": 525,
13    "createdAt": "2020-03-20T11:03:43.000Z",
14    "updatedAt": "2020-03-20T11:03:43.000Z",
15    "assignment_id": 525,
16    "split_config": {
17      "subaccount":"ACCT_4r33icuptxl40vv"
18    }
19  }
20}
Updating existing subaccount on a dedicated virtual account
You can also use this endpoint to edit an existing subaccount on any dedicated virtual account. If a dedicated virtual account has a subaccount, using this endpoint updates the subaccount to the new subaccount.

Add a split code when creating a dedicated virtual account

You can add a split code to the payload when you create a dedicated virtual account for the customer

Show Response
1curl https://api.paystack.co/dedicated_account
2-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SECRET_KEY"
3-H "Content-Type: application/json"
4-d '{ "customer": 481193, "preferred_bank":"wema-bank", 
5      "split_code": "SPL_e7jnRLtzla" 
6    }'
7-X POST
1{
2    "status": true,
3    "message": "Assigned Managed Account Successfully Created",
4    "data": {
5      "bank": {
6        "name": "Wema Bank",
7        "id": 20,
8        "slug": "wema-bank"
9      },
10      "account_name": "KAROKART/YINKA ADE",
11      "account_number": "6731105168",
12      "assigned": true,
13      "currency": "NGN",
14      "metadata": null,
15      "active": true,
16      "id": 97,
17      "created_at": "2019-11-13T13:52:39.000Z",
18      "updated_at": "2020-03-17T07:52:23.000Z",
19      "assignment": {
20        "integration": 100043,
21        "assignee_id": 17328,
22        "assignee_type": "Customer",
23        "expired": false,
24        "account_type": "PAY-WITH-TRANSFER-RECURRING",
25        "assigned_at": "2020-03-17T07:52:23.023Z",
26        "expired_at": null
27      },
28      "split_config": {"split_code":"SPL_e7jnRLtzla"},
29      "customer": {
30        "id": 17328,
31        "first_name": "YINKA",
32        "last_name": "ADE",
33        "email": "[email protected]",
34        "customer_code": "CUS_xxxxxxxx",
35        "phone": null,
36        "metadata": null,
37        "risk_action": "default"
38      }
39    }
40  }

Add a split code to an existing dedicated virtual account

When updating an already existing dedicated virtual account, you can pass a split code as one of the parameters.

Show Response
1curl https://api.paystack.co/dedicated_account/split
2-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SECRET_KEY"
3-H "Content-Type: application/json"
4-d '{ "account_number": "0033322211", "split_code": "SPL_e7jnRLtzla" }'
5-X POST
1{
2  "status": true,
3  "message": "Subaccount assigned",
4  "data": {
5    "id": 22495,
6    "account_name": "KAROKART/YINKA ADE",
7    "account_number": "0033322211",
8    "assigned": 1,
9    "currency": "NGN",
10    "metadata": null,
11    "active": 1,
12    "last_assignment_id": 525,
13    "createdAt": "2020-03-20T11:03:43.000Z",
14    "updatedAt": "2020-03-20T11:03:43.000Z",
15    "assignment_id": 525,
16    "split_config": {
17      "split_code":"SPL_e7jnRLtzla"
18    }
19  }
20}
Updating existing split code on a dedicated virtual account
You can also use this endpoint to edit an existing split code on any dedicated virtual account. If a dedicated virtual account has a split code, using this endpoint updates the split code to the new split code.

Remove Split

This allows you to remove a subaccount code assigned to any dedicated virtual account, so that subsequent transactions received are fully settled into the main settlement account

Show Response
1curl https://api.paystack.co/dedicated_account/split
2-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SECRET_KEY"
3-H "Content-Type: application/json"
4-d '{ "account_number": "0033322211" }'
5-X DELETE
1{
2  "status": "success",
3  "message": "Subaccount unassigned",
4  "data": {
5    "id": 22173,
6    "split_config": NULL,
7    "account_name": "KAROKART/YINKA ADE",
8    "account_number": "0033322211",
9    "currency": "NGN",
10    "assigned": true,
11    "active": true,
12    "createdAt": "2020-03-11T15:14:00.707Z",
13    "updatedAt": "2020-03-11T15:14:00.707Z",
14  }
15}