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Test Your First API Call

Start with one sandbox request. Keep it small, verify the response, then move to SDKs, webhooks, and production readiness.

Before You Start​

  • Create an AfriRoute account.
  • Create a sandbox API key in the console.
  • Store the key as an environment variable on your machine or server.
  • Use E.164 phone numbers, for example +251900000000.

Do not paste real API keys into docs, screenshots, browser code, or public repositories.

Send One Sandbox Message​

curl --request POST https://api.afriroute.ai/api/v1/sms/send \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $AFRIROUTE_API_KEY" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data '{
    "to": "+251900000000",
    "message": "Hello from AfriRoute",
    "country": "ET",
    "senderId": "AFRIROUTE"
  }'

Use a sandbox key for this first call. Sandbox traffic is for validation and should not be treated as proof of live delivery.

Expected Shape​

{
  "messageId": "msg_01JPFZ0D4PT4X6YQ8ZZ8E1KS8R",
  "status": "queued",
  "channel": "sms",
  "createdAt": "2026-06-01T18:20:00Z"
}

Statuses such as queued, accepted, or sent_to_carrier mean AfriRoute accepted the request. Only a delivery receipt or status lookup should be treated as confirmed delivery.

Check The Result​

Use the returned message ID with the public message status endpoint:

curl --request GET https://api.afriroute.ai/api/v1/messages/msg_01JPFZ0D4PT4X6YQ8ZZ8E1KS8R \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $AFRIROUTE_API_KEY"

Common Failures​

StatusMeaningFix
401Missing or invalid API keyCheck the Authorization header and environment
403Key lacks permissionUse a key scoped for the product
400Invalid requestCheck phone format and required fields
429Rate limitedBack off and retry later
503Route temporarily unavailableRetry with exponential backoff

Next Steps​