For businesses
Explore supported collections through Kitovu's menu.
Kitovu / Product
Collect payments through USSD.
Give customers a phone-menu payment option without needing a smartphone or mobile data. Ask Kitovu about supported networks, services and payment methods in Rwanda.
USSD
Two ways to use USSD.
Use Kitovu's menu for supported payment services, or ask about an extension for your own USSD experience. Kitovu will confirm the network coverage, setup and pricing for your use case.
For partners
Ask about an extension for your own USSD service.
Before you launch
Confirm coverage, payment methods, setup and pricing.
Choose your USSD setup.
Start with Kitovu's payment menu, or discuss an extension for a service you manage.
Kitovu payment menu
Explore the payment services enabled for your business.
Discuss collectionsYour own USSD service
Discuss an extension, your menu requirements and the integration setup.
USSD payment services
Explore USSD payment services.
Kitovu can help you confirm which journeys are available for your business and how customers will use them.
1
Merchant payments
Pay a business using its merchant code and the payment details provided.
2
Invoice payments
Use the invoice reference supplied by the business.
Explore invoices3
Product payments
Use the product code and payment instructions supplied by the business.
4
School fees
Follow the school's instructions for a supported fee payment.
Explore school fees5
Sports payments
Pay for a league or match using the organiser's instructions.
Explore sports payments6
Bill payments
Pay a supported bill using the biller's required reference.
Explore bill paymentsHow a session works
1
Dial
Customer dials the Kitovu shortcode.
2
Choose
Pick merchant, invoice, product, fees, sports, or a bill.
3
Approve
Confirm the amount on MTN MoMo or Airtel Money.
4
Recorded
Payment appears in Transactions with status and history.
Practical features
How customers and businesses use USSD.
A phone menu for payments
Customers follow the USSD prompts without installing an app or using mobile data. Availability depends on the supported network and service.
Menu setup
Confirm which payment journeys Kitovu will enable for your business.
Payment approval
Customers approve payments through the supported method shown in the flow.
Payment methods
Payment notifications
Ask Kitovu about notifying your school or service when a collection succeeds, and the setup required.
USSD platform
Aggregate shortcode — host menus or rent an extension.
KitovuPay operates *743# on MTN. Use our built-in collection menus, or bring your own USSD product: we host the gateway, assign an extension, route requests to your API, and track sessions for billing.
Kitovu menu
*743#
Native flows for collections, school fees, sports, and bill pay — wired to Merchant Engine and mobile money.
Your extension
*743*{ext}#
Rent a 1–4 digit extension. Kitovu hosts the telco gateway and routes each hit to your HTTPS callback API.
Hosted USSD gateway
Kitovu terminates MTN Comviva traffic on a stable API — partners never integrate with the telco directly.
Shortcode extension rental
Unique 1–4 digit codes under *743# so your brand keeps one dial string while Kitovu runs the platform.
Callback routing
Every menu step is POSTed as JSON to your URL, with optional Authorization and X-KitovuPay-Extension headers.
Session tracking
Gateway session IDs stick across steps; cleanup events fire when the subscriber ends or times out.
Billing & reports
Per-extension session rates, billable flags after the first successful callback, CSV/PDF exports for ops.
Native module billing
Separate metering for Kitovu-owned menus (merchant, invoice, sports) alongside aggregator clients.
Partner session lifecycle
1
Subscriber
Dials *743*{extension}# on any phone.
2
Kitovu engine
Hosted /ussd gateway parses the extension and opens a tracked session.
3
Your API
JSON callback with msisdn, sessionId, input — you return message + continueSession.
4
Billing
Session marked billable after your first successful response; reports for invoicing.
Developer overview Request an extension
Onboarding covers callback URL, extension code, auth header, and commercial session rate.
Discuss your USSD setup.
Talk to Kitovu about coverage, services and the right setup for your business.
Talk to Kitovu about USSD