SikaChain is a USSD-driven mobile money and digital wallet experience, built on the Internet Computer Protocol (ICP). It leverages canisters for backend logic and storage, with a middleware Express.js server acting as the communication bridge between Africa's Talking (USSD frontend) and the ICP.

The project consists of the following parts:

1. Canisters (ICP)

   • sikachainPhoneNumber: Handles phone-number-based accounts, minting, sending, and user logic.
   • sikachainInternetIdentity: Identity-based canister (not fully implemented yet to avoid breaking user flow).

2. Express.js Middleware (Node.js/TypeScript)
   Acts as the backend server that receives and responds to:

   • USSD webhooks from Africa’s Talking
   • SMS webhooks (for payment forwarding)
   • Routes calls to ICP canisters using DFINITY's SDK

3. Africa’s Talking Sandbox (USSD Interface)
   Provides a USSD simulation using the code *384*10305# for testing on supported countries (e.g., Ghana).

4. Payment Integration via SMS Forwarding
   While direct MTN Collections API integration is pending, payment is handled via SMS:

   • Users send money to a designated MTN number.
   • The confirmation SMS is forwarded to the backend.
   • The backend encodes transaction info into a base64 coupon and sends it back to the user as an SMS token for redemption via USSD.

The middleware is deployed on Railway, allowing public access to webhook routes and integration with the Africa’s Talking simulator.

You can test the app by going to Africa's Talking Sandbox and dialing: 38410305#

• User Registration: Register new users with automatic PIN assignment.
• Check Balance: View your current Sika balance.
• Send Sika: Transfer Sika to another phone number securely using your PIN.
• Mint Sika: Redeem prepaid MoMo using SMS-based coupons.
• Chatbot (AI):
  • Receive transaction summaries.
  • Get basic financial advice.
• Account Management:
  • Reset PIN
  • View personal info
  • View transaction history
  • Delete account

You can interact directly with the backend canisters via their Candid UI:

• sikachainPhoneNumber:
  🔗 View on Candid

• sikachainInternetIdentity:
  🔗 View on Candid

• MTN Collections API integration is not functional due to lack of required paperwork and approval.
• As a workaround, SMS forwarding is used:
  • Payments to a dedicated MTN number trigger a webhook.
  • A base64 token is generated and sent to the sender via SMS.
  • Users redeem tokens via USSD to mint Sika.
• Currently sandbox-only via Africa’s Talking.

Have questions or want to contribute?

• Open an issue on this repo
• Or reach out directly

• Enable live MTN Collections and Disbursement APIs.
• Implement identity management via Internet Identity (currently disabled to avoid breaking the USSD user flow).
• Expand the chatbot to support fraud detection and smarter financial behavior analytics.

This project currently does not include a license. You can request one to make it easier for contributors.

• DFINITY for the Internet Computer platform
• Africa’s Talking for their USSD and SMS APIs
• Railway for the cloud deployment