This guide walks you through everything you need to do in your first days on EsusuOnline — from creating your account to receiving your first payout. Follow each step in order and you won't get stuck.
Get a referral code from someone already on EsusuOnline, register, verify your ID, fund your wallet, then join or create a savings circle.
Without a referral code you cannot register at all. Without KYC, your account limits stay low. Without a funded wallet, you cannot contribute — and will be penalised.
Your savings are held in your in-app wallet. Every contribution comes from it, and every payout goes into it. Keep it funded — or risk losing trust points and missing your turn.
EsusuOnline is invite-only. You cannot register without a valid referral code (format: REF-XXXXXX) from an existing member. Ask a friend, family member, or colleague who is already on the platform.
Visit esusuonline.org/auth/register or tap the Create Account button on the home page.
You will need your full name, a working email address, a strong password (at least 8 characters), and the referral code from Step 1.
After registering you'll be taken to the login page. Sign in with your email and password to access your new dashboard.
KYC stands for Know Your Customer — it just means proving you are who you say you are. On EsusuOnline, this means uploading a government-issued ID and a selfie. It's a one-time step.
After logging in, tap your name or avatar at the top of the screen and select Profile.
You'll see your current KYC status. It starts as ⏳ Pending. Tap the button to begin.
Use any government-issued ID — national ID card, driver's licence, voter's card, or international passport. Take a clear selfie holding the document.
An admin will review your documents. Once approved, your status changes to ✅ Verified and you instantly earn +50 trust points.
Your EsusuOnline wallet is your in-app money account. Every contribution you make is taken from it, and every payout you receive goes into it. Think of it like your pocket for savings circle money — keep it stocked or you'll miss payments.
Both options let you save and receive payouts — but they work differently.
| Question | 🫱 Joining someone else's circle | 🛠️ Creating your own circle |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the rules? | The person who created the circle sets the amount, frequency, and members. | You set everything — amount, currency, how often, who joins, payout order. |
| How do I get in? | You receive an invitation from the circle owner. Accept it to join. | You create the circle and then invite people you trust. |
| What do I earn? | +5 points for joining, +20 points when the full cycle completes. | +5 points for joining, +30 points when the full cycle completes (owner bonus). |
| What happens if I cancel? | You can decline the invitation before joining. After joining, leaving mid-cycle is not straightforward — coordinate with the owner. | If you cancel (abort) the circle you created, you lose −30 points and all members lose their expected payouts. Only start what you can finish. |
| Who is responsible for payouts? | The circle owner manages the payout order and timing. | You manage the payout order and are responsible for making sure the circle runs smoothly. |
| Best for? | People new to the platform — less responsibility, lower risk, easier start. | People who have saved a few cycles already and want to organise their own group. |
The circle owner sends you an invite. You'll see a notification in your dashboard or receive an email. This is the only way in — there is no public list of circles to browse and join freely.
Before accepting, check: the contribution amount, currency, how often you must pay (weekly/monthly/bi-monthly), and how many rounds there are. Make sure it fits your budget.
Tap Accept to join. If the circle uses a ballot system (random payout order), you may be asked to pick a ballot number for your place in the payout queue.
The circle owner decides when it starts. Once it starts, contribution due dates appear on your dashboard. Your wallet must have enough money on each due date.
Navigate to the Slots section from your dashboard and tap Create New Slot.
Set a circle name, the amount each person contributes per round, currency (NGN or USD), payment frequency (weekly, monthly, or every 2 months), number of participants, and start date.
Random — the system automatically assigns who gets paid each round. Manual — you set the exact order yourself.
Add members by searching their email or username. They will receive invitations and must accept before the circle can start.
Once all seats are filled and everyone has accepted, tap Start. The first contribution round begins on the date you set.
A savings circle has multiple payment rounds. Every round, all members contribute the same fixed amount. The collected money goes to the member whose turn it is to receive the payout. Here is how the timing works:
These dates shift for weekly or bi-monthly circles, but the pattern is the same.
Your payment is due today. Pay on time → +5 trust points. Your wallet balance must cover the contribution amount. The payment is taken from your wallet automatically when you tap "Pay" on the dashboard — it does not deduct automatically without your action.
You missed the due date but you can still pay without being marked as a defaulter. Paying here still counts as late → −10 trust points. Do not wait until this window to fund your wallet — by then it may be too late.
If you still haven't paid after the grace window, you are marked as Defaulted → −50 trust points. This may trigger account suspension. The other members have been waiting for this money. This is the most serious outcome to avoid.
Set a personal reminder 2–3 days before your due date. Top up your wallet the day before. This gives you a buffer for any transfer delays. Never rely on topping up on the actual due date — bank transfers can take time to arrive.
In a rotating savings circle, every member contributes each round — and one member receives the full pot each round. The cycle continues until every member has received their payout once. Here's exactly how it works:
Every member pays their contribution for this round into the system.
The total collected = contribution amount × number of members.
Based on the payout order, one member receives the full pot this round.
Everyone contributes again. A different member receives the next round. Repeats until all members have been paid.
Once every member has received a payout, the circle is marked Complete. Everyone earns completion points.
The circle creator chooses one of two rotation methods when setting up the circle.
| 🎲 Random (System picks) | 📝 Manual (Owner decides) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | The system randomly assigns which member gets paid in which round. No one can influence it. | The circle owner sets the exact payout order before the circle starts. Members may also select ballot numbers when accepting the invite. |
| Fair? | Yes — fully random and unbiased. No favouritism possible. | Depends on the owner. Best used when members agree on the order in advance (e.g., member who needs money urgently goes first). |
| When do I receive my payout? | When the system assigns your round — you'll be notified in advance. | When the owner's order reaches your position — you'll be notified in advance. |
You cannot register without one. Ask a friend, family member, or colleague who uses EsusuOnline. Their referral code is on their profile page under My Referral Code.
Admin review usually happens within 1–2 business days. You'll see your status update on your profile. Check back the next day if you don't hear immediately.
Fund the same currency as the savings circle you are joining. NGN for Naira circles, USD for Dollar circles. They are separate wallets.
You have a 3-day grace period. Fund your wallet as soon as possible and pay immediately. Never let it reach the default stage — the penalty is −50 points and possible suspension.
Depends on your position in the payout order set by the circle owner. You'll receive a notification when your turn is approaching. Check the Slot Detail page to see the full payout order.
Go to your Profile → Bank Accounts and add your Nigerian bank account details. You need this set up before you can withdraw any money from your wallet.
Yes. Two-factor authentication (2FA) protects your account from being accessed by someone else. Set it up under Profile → Security Settings. It takes 2 minutes.
It starts at Tin. Completing KYC gives +50 points and moves you to Copper. Each completed savings cycle adds more. Higher tiers unlock bigger circles. Check yours on your profile.
Coordinate directly with the circle owner. Leaving mid-cycle is disruptive to all members. Prevention is better — review the circle details carefully before accepting the invitation.