> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.vtuagent.com/api-reference/vtu-agent-consumable-api/electricity/purchase-electricity-units/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.vtuagent.com/_mcp/server.

# Purchase Electricity Units

POST https://api.vtuagent.com/v1/electricity/purchase
Content-Type: application/json

Buys prepaid electricity units (returns a token) or settles a postpaid bill.

**Before calling:** verify the meter with `POST /v1/electricity/verify`.

Your wallet is debited **immediately**, then the disco is called synchronously. This endpoint does **not** long-poll or send a webhook — the HTTP response is final unless it is `202 pending`, in which case resolve it with `POST /v1/transaction/status`.

`token` and `units` are populated only for successful prepaid purchases; otherwise they are `""` / `null`.

| HTTP | `status` | `status_code` | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | `successful` | 200 | Purchase completed — token returned for prepaid |
| 202 | `pending` | 202 | Disco still processing — poll `/v1/transaction/status` |
| 400 | `error` | — | Bad payload, validation failure, insufficient balance, or duplicate `request_ref` |
| 401 | — | — | Missing, invalid or revoked API key |
| 424 | `failed` | 424 | Disco rejected the purchase — wallet refunded |
| 500 | `error` | — | Provider unreachable |

Reference: https://docs.vtuagent.com/api-reference/vtu-agent-consumable-api/electricity/purchase-electricity-units

## Authentication

- `Authorization` header (bearer token, required) — API key issued from the VTUAgent dashboard, sent as `Authorization: Bearer {your_api_key}`.

## Request

### Body (application/json)

This endpoint expects an ElectricityPurchaseRequest.

- `disco` (enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `ikeja-electric`, `eko-electric`, `abuja-electric`, `ibadan-electric`, `kano-electric`, `portharcourt-electric`, `enugu-electric`, `jos-electric`, `kaduna-electric`, `benin-electric`
- `meter_number` (string, required)
- `meter_type` (enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `prepaid`, `postpaid`
- `amount` (ElectricityPurchaseRequestAmount, required) — Naira. Minimums vary by disco (typically 1000).
- `phone` (string, required) — The prepaid token is also sent here by SMS.
- `request_ref` (string, required) — Your unique reference for this transaction, max 50 characters. A UUID is recommended. Re-using one is rejected with 400.

## Response

### 200

Purchase completed — token returned for prepaid

- `status` (enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `successful`, `pending`, `failed`
- `status_code` (enum, required) — Always equals the HTTP status.
  - Allowed values: `200`, `202`, `424`
- `message` (string, required)
- `reference` (string, optional) — Echo of your request_ref.
- `data` (map from string to any, optional) — Product-specific details; see the endpoint examples.

### 202

Disco still processing — poll `/v1/transaction/status`

- `status` (enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `successful`, `pending`, `failed`
- `status_code` (enum, required) — Always equals the HTTP status.
  - Allowed values: `200`, `202`, `424`
- `message` (string, required)
- `reference` (string, optional) — Echo of your request_ref.
- `data` (map from string to any, optional) — Product-specific details; see the endpoint examples.

## Errors

### 400 Bad Request Error

Invalid payload, validation error, insufficient balance, or duplicate request_ref

- `status` (enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `error`
- `message` (string, required)
- `error` (string, optional) — Validator detail, present only on validation failures.

### 401 Unauthorized Error

Missing, invalid or revoked API key. Note: this envelope has no `status` field.

- `message` (string, required)
- `error` (string, required)

### 424 Failed Dependency Error

Disco rejected the purchase — wallet refunded

- `status` (enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `successful`, `pending`, `failed`
- `status_code` (enum, required) — Always equals the HTTP status.
  - Allowed values: `200`, `202`, `424`
- `message` (string, required)
- `reference` (string, optional) — Echo of your request_ref.
- `data` (map from string to any, optional) — Product-specific details; see the endpoint examples.

### 500 Internal Server Error

Internal error

- `status` (enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `error`
- `message` (string, required)
- `error` (string, optional) — Validator detail, present only on validation failures.

## Types

### ElectricityPurchaseRequestAmount

Naira. Minimums vary by disco (typically 1000).

## Examples

**Request**

```json
{
  "disco": "ikeja-electric",
  "meter_number": "1111111111111",
  "meter_type": "prepaid",
  "amount": 2000,
  "phone": "08012345678",
  "request_ref": "d4a8c1e2-6f3b-4a7d-9e0c-5b6a7c8d9e0f"
}
```

**Response**

```json
{
  "status": "successful",
  "status_code": 200,
  "message": "Electricity purchase successful",
  "reference": "d4a8c1e2-6f3b-4a7d-9e0c-5b6a7c8d9e0f",
  "data": {
    "address": "12 Example Street, Ikeja, Lagos",
    "amount": "2000",
    "customer_name": "JOHN DOE",
    "disco": "ikeja-electric",
    "meter_number": "1111111111111",
    "token": "1234 5678 9012 3456 7890",
    "units": "28.64"
  }
}
```

**SDK Code**

```python
import requests

url = "https://api.vtuagent.com/v1/electricity/purchase"

payload = {
    "disco": "ikeja-electric",
    "meter_number": "1111111111111",
    "meter_type": "prepaid",
    "amount": 2000,
    "phone": "08012345678",
    "request_ref": "d4a8c1e2-6f3b-4a7d-9e0c-5b6a7c8d9e0f"
}
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer <token>",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers)

print(response.json())
```

```javascript
const url = 'https://api.vtuagent.com/v1/electricity/purchase';
const options = {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {Authorization: 'Bearer <token>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: '{"disco":"ikeja-electric","meter_number":"1111111111111","meter_type":"prepaid","amount":2000,"phone":"08012345678","request_ref":"d4a8c1e2-6f3b-4a7d-9e0c-5b6a7c8d9e0f"}'
};

try {
  const response = await fetch(url, options);
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}
```

```go
package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strings"
	"net/http"
	"io"
)

func main() {

	url := "https://api.vtuagent.com/v1/electricity/purchase"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{\n  \"disco\": \"ikeja-electric\",\n  \"meter_number\": \"1111111111111\",\n  \"meter_type\": \"prepaid\",\n  \"amount\": 2000,\n  \"phone\": \"08012345678\",\n  \"request_ref\": \"d4a8c1e2-6f3b-4a7d-9e0c-5b6a7c8d9e0f\"\n}")

	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, payload)

	req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
	req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")

	res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

	defer res.Body.Close()
	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

	fmt.Println(res)
	fmt.Println(string(body))

}
```

```ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://api.vtuagent.com/v1/electricity/purchase")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Bearer <token>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n  \"disco\": \"ikeja-electric\",\n  \"meter_number\": \"1111111111111\",\n  \"meter_type\": \"prepaid\",\n  \"amount\": 2000,\n  \"phone\": \"08012345678\",\n  \"request_ref\": \"d4a8c1e2-6f3b-4a7d-9e0c-5b6a7c8d9e0f\"\n}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body
```

```java
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://api.vtuagent.com/v1/electricity/purchase")
  .header("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"disco\": \"ikeja-electric\",\n  \"meter_number\": \"1111111111111\",\n  \"meter_type\": \"prepaid\",\n  \"amount\": 2000,\n  \"phone\": \"08012345678\",\n  \"request_ref\": \"d4a8c1e2-6f3b-4a7d-9e0c-5b6a7c8d9e0f\"\n}")
  .asString();
```

```php
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://api.vtuagent.com/v1/electricity/purchase', [
  'body' => '{
  "disco": "ikeja-electric",
  "meter_number": "1111111111111",
  "meter_type": "prepaid",
  "amount": 2000,
  "phone": "08012345678",
  "request_ref": "d4a8c1e2-6f3b-4a7d-9e0c-5b6a7c8d9e0f"
}',
  'headers' => [
    'Authorization' => 'Bearer <token>',
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
  ],
]);

echo $response->getBody();
```

```csharp
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://api.vtuagent.com/v1/electricity/purchase");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
request.AddHeader("Authorization", "Bearer <token>");
request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{\n  \"disco\": \"ikeja-electric\",\n  \"meter_number\": \"1111111111111\",\n  \"meter_type\": \"prepaid\",\n  \"amount\": 2000,\n  \"phone\": \"08012345678\",\n  \"request_ref\": \"d4a8c1e2-6f3b-4a7d-9e0c-5b6a7c8d9e0f\"\n}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift
import Foundation

let headers = [
  "Authorization": "Bearer <token>",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
]
let parameters = [
  "disco": "ikeja-electric",
  "meter_number": "1111111111111",
  "meter_type": "prepaid",
  "amount": 2000,
  "phone": "08012345678",
  "request_ref": "d4a8c1e2-6f3b-4a7d-9e0c-5b6a7c8d9e0f"
] as [String : Any]

let postData = JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: parameters, options: [])

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://api.vtuagent.com/v1/electricity/purchase")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "POST"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers
request.httpBody = postData as Data

let session = URLSession.shared
let dataTask = session.dataTask(with: request as URLRequest, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
  if (error != nil) {
    print(error as Any)
  } else {
    let httpResponse = response as? HTTPURLResponse
    print(httpResponse)
  }
})

dataTask.resume()
```