Get Started with Jaza in Minutes

This guide takes you from zero to a working prepaid flow using Expo / React Native and Node.js.

Jaza collects Mobile Money and settles to you. You do not create a PawaPay account or manage multi-currency settlement yourself.

Prerequisites

A Jaza developer account
Node.js 18+
An Expo app (Expo Router or classic App.tsx)
Sandbox API keys from the dashboard (test environment)

1. Create an app and copy keys

In the dashboard, create an app, enable the markets you need, and open API keys.

Key	Where it lives	Example prefix
Secret	Server only (`JAZA_SECRET_KEY`)	`jz_test_sk_…`
Publishable	Mobile app (`EXPO_PUBLIC_JAZA_PUBLISHABLE_KEY`)	`jz_test_pk_…`

Never ship the secret key in a mobile binary or public repo.

2. Install the Node SDK

npm install @jazadev/node

Create a shared client:

import { Jaza } from '@jazadev/node';

export const jaza = new Jaza({
  secretKey: process.env.JAZA_SECRET_KEY!,
  publicKey: process.env.JAZA_PUBLIC_KEY!,
});

3. Create a customer

Call once when your user signs up; store customer.id on your user record.

const customer = await jaza.createCustomer({
  name: 'Amina Okello',
  email: 'amina@example.com', // and/or phoneNumber
});

// persist customer.id → your DB

4. Expose balance and top-up routes

Your app never talks to Jaza with the secret key. It calls your backend; you call the Node SDK.

import { jaza } from './jaza';

// GET /jaza/balance — resolve customerId from your session
app.get('/jaza/balance', async (req, res) => {
  const wallet = await jaza.getBalance({
    customerId: req.user.jazaCustomerId,
  });
  res.json({ balanceCredits: wallet.balanceCredits });
});

// POST /jaza/top-up-token
app.post('/jaza/top-up-token', async (req, res) => {
  const session = await jaza.topUp({
    customerId: req.user.jazaCustomerId,
  });
  res.json({ token: session.token });
});

5. Install the React Native SDK

npm install @jazadev/react-native

Peer dependencies (Expo):

npx expo install react react-native react-native-reanimated react-native-gesture-handler react-native-safe-area-context react-native-screens @gorhom/bottom-sheet @expo/vector-icons

Ensure Android resizes with the keyboard (app.json):

{
  "expo": {
    "android": {
      "softwareKeyboardLayoutMode": "resize"
    }
  }
}

6. Wrap the app with `JazaProvider`

Expo Router
Classic App

// app/_layout.tsx
import { Stack } from 'expo-router';
import { GestureHandlerRootView } from 'react-native-gesture-handler';
import { JazaProvider } from '@jazadev/react-native';

const API_BASE = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL!;

export default function RootLayout() {
  return (
    <GestureHandlerRootView style={{ flex: 1 }}>
      <JazaProvider
        publishableKey={process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_JAZA_PUBLISHABLE_KEY!}
        getBalance={async () => {
          const res = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/jaza/balance`, {
            credentials: 'include',
          });
          const data = await res.json();
          return data.balanceCredits as number;
        }}
        onTopUpComplete={({ credits }) => {
          console.log('Top-up completed', credits);
        }}
        theme="system"
      >
        <Stack />
      </JazaProvider>
    </GestureHandlerRootView>
  );
}

// App.tsx
import { GestureHandlerRootView } from 'react-native-gesture-handler';
import { JazaProvider } from '@jazadev/react-native';
import { HomeScreen } from './screens/HomeScreen';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <GestureHandlerRootView style={{ flex: 1 }}>
      <JazaProvider
        publishableKey={process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_JAZA_PUBLISHABLE_KEY!}
        getBalance={async () => {
          const res = await fetch(
            `${process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL}/jaza/balance`,
          );
          return (await res.json()).balanceCredits;
        }}
        theme="system"
      >
        <HomeScreen />
      </JazaProvider>
    </GestureHandlerRootView>
  );
}

7. Show balance and top-up

import { View } from 'react-native';
import { JazaBalanceWidget, JazaTopUpButton } from '@jazadev/react-native';

const API_BASE = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL!;

export default function HomeScreen() {
  return (
    <View style={{ padding: 20, gap: 16 }}>
      <JazaBalanceWidget />
      <JazaTopUpButton
        label="Top up credits"
        onRequestToken={async () => {
          const res = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/jaza/top-up-token`, {
            method: 'POST',
            credentials: 'include',
          });
          if (!res.ok) throw new Error('Could not start top-up');
          const data = await res.json();
          return data.token as string;
        }}
      />
    </View>
  );
}

When the user taps Top up, the SDK opens a sheet: pick a bundle, enter phone / country, pay with Mobile Money. Jaza handles provider selection and collection. On success, getBalance refreshes.

8. Meter a feature

After the user performs a paid action:

await jaza.consume({
  customerId: req.user.jazaCustomerId,
  featureCode: 'SEND_MESSAGE', // configured in the dashboard
  idempotencyKey: `msg_${messageId}`,
});

Use a stable idempotencyKey so retries do not double-charge.

What you just shipped

Credit wallet per customer
MoMo top-ups without running an aggregator
Feature metering on your backend

Next: Concepts · Authentication · Node SDK · React Native SDK

Get started

Core concepts

Guides

SDKs

Reference

Get Started with Jaza in Minutes

Prerequisites

1. Create an app and copy keys

2. Install the Node SDK

3. Create a customer

4. Expose balance and top-up routes

5. Install the React Native SDK

6. Wrap the app with `JazaProvider`

7. Show balance and top-up

8. Meter a feature

What you just shipped

​Prerequisites

​1. Create an app and copy keys

​2. Install the Node SDK

​3. Create a customer

​4. Expose balance and top-up routes

​5. Install the React Native SDK

​6. Wrap the app with JazaProvider

​7. Show balance and top-up

​8. Meter a feature

​What you just shipped

Prerequisites

1. Create an app and copy keys

2. Install the Node SDK

3. Create a customer

4. Expose balance and top-up routes

5. Install the React Native SDK

6. Wrap the app with `JazaProvider`

7. Show balance and top-up

8. Meter a feature

What you just shipped