How to use DeepSeek models with naira and Paystack (no dollar card)

Guide · Updated 2026-10-21

Short answer: on BaseURL, the model gateway-fast is powered by DeepSeek V4.1 Flash. You fund your balance in naira through Paystack and call it with the standard openai code library by setting the base URL to https://api.baseurl.dev/v1.

Can I use DeepSeek without a dollar card?

Yes. BaseURL runs DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (as gateway-fast) alongside other open-source models, and you pay in naira through Paystack with a Nigerian card or bank transfer.

Is this the official DeepSeek API?

No. BaseURL is an independent service. It provides DeepSeek's open-source model, run for us by Fireworks AI, through BaseURL's own API. You use a BaseURL key and BaseURL model names, not a DeepSeek account.

How do I call DeepSeek V4.1 Flash on BaseURL?

# The openai library works with any compatible API.
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://api.baseurl.dev/v1",
    api_key="YOUR_BASEURL_KEY",
)

reply = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="gateway-fast",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello from Lagos"}],
)
print(reply.choices[0].message.content)

Node.js:

// The openai library works with any compatible API.
import OpenAI from "openai";

const client = new OpenAI({
  baseURL: "https://api.baseurl.dev/v1",
  apiKey: process.env.BASEURL_KEY,
});

const reply = await client.chat.completions.create({
  model: "gateway-fast",
  messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Hello from Abuja" }],
});
console.log(reply.choices[0].message.content);

cURL:

curl https://api.baseurl.dev/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $BASEURL_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model": "gateway-fast", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]}'

How do I pay with Paystack?

1. Create an account at app.baseurl.dev. New accounts are reviewed, usually within 5 minutes.
2. Top up in naira through Paystack, with a Nigerian card or a bank transfer. The minimum top-up is shown in your dashboard (normally ₦2,000). Before you pay you see the exact credit you will get, with the payment fee included.
3. Create an API key on the API keys page. You can give it a monthly naira spending limit.
4. Point your code at https://api.baseurl.dev/v1 and pick a model, for example gateway-fast.

What else can I use with the same key?

• gateway-micro: powered by Nemotron Lightning 3.5 30B. Cheapest, for high-volume simple tasks.
• gateway-fast: powered by DeepSeek V4.1 Flash. Fast everyday tasks.
• gateway-coder: powered by gpt-oss-120b. Coding and reasoning at low cost.
• gateway-vision: powered by GLM-5.3 Flash. Images and documents.
• gateway-smart: powered by Qwen 3.8 Max. Smart all-round.
• kimi-k3: Kimi K3. Top quality for agents and coding.

Current prices per million tokens are on the models table, and in naira inside your dashboard.

Can I stop one key from overspending?

Yes. Give any key a monthly limit in naira and choose an email alert at 50, 80 or 90% of it. When the key reaches its limit, its requests are declined until next month or until you raise the limit.

Is BaseURL affiliated with OpenAI or DeepSeek?

No. BaseURL is an independent service. The models are open-source models, run for us by Fireworks AI. BaseURL accepts the same request format as the OpenAI API, which is why the openai code library works with it.

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