BillPadi

Overview

BillPadi is a Nigerian payments app where users fund one Naira wallet and pay for airtime, data, electricity, TV, betting wallets and WAEC or JAMB PINs. The same app lets them buy and sell crypto and gift cards, and convert spare airtime to cash. We designed, built, launched and continue to grow it across iOS, Android, web and a reseller API.

The challenge

Paying for everyday things in Nigeria often means juggling several apps, bank USSD codes and a nearby vendor. Light goes off at night, data runs out mid call, a JAMB PIN is needed before a deadline. BillPadi Services wanted one place for all of it.

Too many apps for simple payments. Users kept one app for data, another for DStv, a vendor for exam PINs and a separate platform for gift cards or crypto.

Trust was fragile. In bill payments, one failed top-up with no refund is enough to lose a customer for good.

Wallet funding had friction. Users needed a fast, safe way to move money in without sharing someone else's account details.

Many providers, one experience. Airtime, power, TV, crypto and gift cards each come from different suppliers, and any one of them can go down.

Small businesses wanted in. Shop owners and POS operators wanted to resell airtime and data without building their own platform.

The goal was a single, reliable payments app that ordinary Nigerians trust with their money, with room to serve resellers too.

Our approach

1. We designed around one wallet. Every user gets a dedicated bank account number. They fund once by transfer from any bank app, and that balance pays for everything. One wallet replaced five apps.

2. We made every payment three taps and a PIN. Pick a service, enter the phone, meter or smartcard number, confirm with a transaction PIN. Saved numbers make repeat payments like monthly DStv renewal even faster.

3. We built trust into every screen. Transaction PINs, two factor login and NIN verification protect accounts. Every payment returns a shareable receipt with its status and transaction ID. Crypto and gift card rates show in Naira before the user confirms, so there are no surprises.

4. We engineered for reliability behind the scenes. We integrated multiple service providers for each product, with retry logic for failed transactions and admin controls to switch providers when one goes down. Electricity tokens show on screen and arrive by SMS.

5. We gave the business full control. The admin portal manages services, pricing, discounts, providers and every transaction, with profit and loss tracking so the team sees what each product actually earns.

6. We opened it up to resellers. We built the BillPadi API so resellers, POS operators and developers can sell airtime, data, electricity, TV and exam PINs from their own apps, using one prepaid balance. Shops can also print airtime e-PINs and sell them as cards.

The outcome

BillPadi has been live on iOS and Android since 2024, and we've kept shipping. Version 3.0 in July 2026 brought a fresh design and expanded services.

One wallet, everyday payments sorted. Airtime, data, power, TV, betting wallets, exam PINs, crypto and gift cards all run from a single balance.

Payments users can verify. Every transaction has a receipt and ID, and support resolves issues on WhatsApp with that ID.

A second revenue line. The reseller API and airtime e-PIN printing turn BillPadi into infrastructure for other businesses, not just a consumer app.

A product that keeps improving. Over two years of steady releases, including NIN verification and simplified wallet funding.

Key features delivered

• Naira wallet with a dedicated account number per user

• Airtime and data for MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile

• Electricity tokens for major DisCos, shown on screen and sent by SMS

• DStv, GOtv and StarTimes renewals

• SportyBet and MSport wallet funding

• WAEC, JAMB and NECO PINs

• Airtime e-PIN printing for retailers

• Airtime to cash conversion

• Buy and sell crypto (USDC, Bitcoin and more)

• Buy gift cards for international stores

• Transaction PIN, two factor login and NIN verification

• Shareable receipts and full transaction history

• Reseller API with one prepaid balance

• Admin portal with provider management, pricing, discounts and profit and loss tracking

Frequently asked questions

Who built BillPadi? BillPadi was built by Soft-Web Digital, a Lagos based software development and automation company, for BillPadi Services Limited. Soft-Web Digital handled strategy, design, mobile, web and API development, launch and ongoing improvements.

What can you do on BillPadi? Users buy airtime and data, pay for electricity and TV, fund betting wallets, get WAEC and JAMB PINs, convert airtime to cash, and trade crypto and gift cards, all from one Naira wallet.

Can Soft-Web Digital build a bill payment or VTU app for my business? Yes. Soft-Web Digital builds bill payment, VTU, wallet, crypto and gift card platforms for iOS, Android and web, including admin portals and reseller APIs. Request a quote or book a free strategy session at softwebdigital.com.

How long does it take to build a fintech app like BillPadi in Nigeria? It depends on the services and integrations. A focused bill payment app can launch in a few months, with more services added in phases. Soft-Web Digital shares a timeline after a short discovery call.

How do I start an airtime and data business with my own app? You need a wallet, reliable service provider integrations, an admin portal to manage pricing and providers, and optionally an API for resellers. Soft-Web Digital builds all of these as one platform.

Thinking of launching your own bill payment, VTU or fintech app? We've built one that real Nigerians use every day. Request a Quote or book a Free Strategy Session and let's map out yours.