API Keys

API keys authenticate requests to the eSMS Mail API. They are the recommended way to integrate eSMS Mail into your application.

Create an API key

1. Go to send.esmsafrica.io → Settings → API Keys
2. Click Create API Key
3. Enter a name and select permissions
4. Copy the key — it's only shown once

Via API

curl -X POST https://send.esmsafrica.io/v1/api-keys/ \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer esms_k_your_existing_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"name": "Production key", "permissions": ["send", "read"]}'

Using API keys

Include the key in the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer esms_k_your_api_key

Key format

API keys start with esms_k_ followed by a prefix (for identification) and a hash. Example:

esms_k_abc123def456...

The prefix is visible in the dashboard for identification. The full key is only shown at creation time.

Revoking keys

Delete an API key to immediately revoke access:

curl -X DELETE https://send.esmsafrica.io/v1/api-keys/{key_id} \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer esms_k_your_api_key"

Best practices

• Create separate keys for each environment (development, staging, production)
• Use descriptive names so you know which key is which
• Rotate keys periodically
• Never commit API keys to version control
• Use environment variables to store keys