> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.shimi.cash/api-reference/shimi-api/customers/create-customer/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.shimi.cash/_mcp/server.

# Create Customer

POST https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/
Content-Type: application/json

Registers a new customer under your company and validates their BVN with the provider. This does not create a bank account yet — call **Generate Customer Account** next.

**Errors:** `400` BVN/email/mobile number already exists for your company, or BVN failed provider validation.

**Body (JSON)** - checked by Joi (`customerSchema`, all errors returned together). Fields not listed here are rejected.

| Field       | Type   | Required | Rules                                                         |
| ----------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `firstName` | string | yes      | trimmed, 2-50 chars                                           |
| `lastName`  | string | yes      | trimmed, 2-50 chars                                           |
| `email`     | string | yes      | valid email; lowercased                                       |
| `mobileNo`  | string | yes      | must match `^\+234\d{10}$` (e.g. `+2348031234567`)            |
| `bvn`       | string | yes      | exactly 11 digits                                             |
| `dob`       | string | yes      | `YYYY-MM-DD`, valid date, not in the future, after 1900-01-01 |

**Behaviour notes**

* `otherName` is read by the controller, but `customerSchema` doesn't list it. Sending it gets `"otherName" is not allowed` when the schema is applied, so leave it out.
* `bvn`, `email` and `mobileNo` must each be unique within your company. They are checked in that order and only the first clash is reported.
* The BVN is then validated with the provider. A failure returns `400 Invalid BVN`, and a provider OTP is sent to the BVN-linked phone, which you use in **Generate Customer Account**.
* Response `data` contains only `id`, `firstName` and `lastName`.
* Date-range failures on `dob` come back as the generic Joi text `"dob" contains an invalid value`, not the custom messages in the schema.

Reference: https://docs.shimi.cash/api-reference/shimi-api/customers/create-customer

## Authentication

- `Authorization` header (bearer token, required) — Access token from Generate Access Token (valid 15 minutes).

## Request

### Body (application/json)

This endpoint expects an object.

- `firstName` (string, optional)
- `lastName` (string, optional)
- `email` (string, optional)
- `mobileNo` (string, optional)
- `bvn` (string, optional)
- `dob` (string, optional)

## Response

### 201

Created

- `status` (string, optional)
- `message` (string, optional)
- `data` (CustomerPostResponsesContentApplicationJsonSchemaData, optional)

## Errors

### 400 Bad Request Error

Validation error / Invalid mobile number / BVN already exists / Email already exists / Mobile number already exists / Invalid BVN

- `status` (string, optional)
- `message` (string, optional)
- `details` (list of string, optional)

### 401 Unauthorized Error

Unauthorized

- `message` (string, optional)

### 403 Forbidden Error

Invalid or expired access token / KYB not approved / Account deactivated

- `message` (string, optional)
- `code` (string, optional)
- `kybStatus` (string, optional)

## Types

### CustomerPostResponsesContentApplicationJsonSchemaData

- `id` (string, optional)
- `firstName` (string, optional)
- `lastName` (string, optional)

## Examples

### 201 Created

**Response**

```json
{
  "status": "success",
  "message": "Customer created successfully",
  "data": {
    "id": "cmg8x2k4p0001qz7h3n9d5v2a",
    "firstName": "Chiamaka",
    "lastName": "Okonkwo"
  }
}
```

**SDK Code**

```python 201 Created
import requests

url = "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/"

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer <token>"}

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

print(response.json())
```

```javascript 201 Created
const url = 'https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/';
const options = {method: 'POST', headers: {Authorization: 'Bearer <token>'}};

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

```go 201 Created
package main

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

func main() {

	url := "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/"

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

	req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")

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

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

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

}
```

```ruby 201 Created
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/")

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

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Bearer <token>'

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

```java 201 Created
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/")
  .header("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
  .asString();
```

```php 201 Created
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/', [
  'headers' => [
    'Authorization' => 'Bearer <token>',
  ],
]);

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

```csharp 201 Created
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
request.AddHeader("Authorization", "Bearer <token>");
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift 201 Created
import Foundation

let headers = ["Authorization": "Bearer <token>"]

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "POST"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers

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()
```

### Customers_createCustomer_example

**Request**

```json
{
  "firstName": "Chiamaka",
  "lastName": "Okonkwo",
  "email": "chiamaka.okonkwo@example.com",
  "mobileNo": "+2348031234567",
  "bvn": "22345678901",
  "dob": "1992-03-14"
}
```

**Response**

```json
{
  "status": "success",
  "message": "Customer created successfully",
  "data": {
    "id": "cmg8x2k4p0001qz7h3n9d5v2a",
    "firstName": "Chiamaka",
    "lastName": "Okonkwo"
  }
}
```

**SDK Code**

```python Customers_createCustomer_example
import requests

url = "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/"

payload = {
    "firstName": "Chiamaka",
    "lastName": "Okonkwo",
    "email": "chiamaka.okonkwo@example.com",
    "mobileNo": "+2348031234567",
    "bvn": "22345678901",
    "dob": "1992-03-14"
}
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer <token>",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

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

print(response.json())
```

```javascript Customers_createCustomer_example
const url = 'https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/';
const options = {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {Authorization: 'Bearer <token>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: '{"firstName":"Chiamaka","lastName":"Okonkwo","email":"chiamaka.okonkwo@example.com","mobileNo":"+2348031234567","bvn":"22345678901","dob":"1992-03-14"}'
};

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

```go Customers_createCustomer_example
package main

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

func main() {

	url := "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{\n  \"firstName\": \"Chiamaka\",\n  \"lastName\": \"Okonkwo\",\n  \"email\": \"chiamaka.okonkwo@example.com\",\n  \"mobileNo\": \"+2348031234567\",\n  \"bvn\": \"22345678901\",\n  \"dob\": \"1992-03-14\"\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 Customers_createCustomer_example
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/")

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  \"firstName\": \"Chiamaka\",\n  \"lastName\": \"Okonkwo\",\n  \"email\": \"chiamaka.okonkwo@example.com\",\n  \"mobileNo\": \"+2348031234567\",\n  \"bvn\": \"22345678901\",\n  \"dob\": \"1992-03-14\"\n}"

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

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

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/")
  .header("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"firstName\": \"Chiamaka\",\n  \"lastName\": \"Okonkwo\",\n  \"email\": \"chiamaka.okonkwo@example.com\",\n  \"mobileNo\": \"+2348031234567\",\n  \"bvn\": \"22345678901\",\n  \"dob\": \"1992-03-14\"\n}")
  .asString();
```

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

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/', [
  'body' => '{
  "firstName": "Chiamaka",
  "lastName": "Okonkwo",
  "email": "chiamaka.okonkwo@example.com",
  "mobileNo": "+2348031234567",
  "bvn": "22345678901",
  "dob": "1992-03-14"
}',
  'headers' => [
    'Authorization' => 'Bearer <token>',
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
  ],
]);

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

```csharp Customers_createCustomer_example
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
request.AddHeader("Authorization", "Bearer <token>");
request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{\n  \"firstName\": \"Chiamaka\",\n  \"lastName\": \"Okonkwo\",\n  \"email\": \"chiamaka.okonkwo@example.com\",\n  \"mobileNo\": \"+2348031234567\",\n  \"bvn\": \"22345678901\",\n  \"dob\": \"1992-03-14\"\n}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift Customers_createCustomer_example
import Foundation

let headers = [
  "Authorization": "Bearer <token>",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
]
let parameters = [
  "firstName": "Chiamaka",
  "lastName": "Okonkwo",
  "email": "chiamaka.okonkwo@example.com",
  "mobileNo": "+2348031234567",
  "bvn": "22345678901",
  "dob": "1992-03-14"
] as [String : Any]

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

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/customer/")! 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()
```