diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 18dd761..d653187 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -7,3 +7,4 @@ psycopg2-binary==2.9.10
 email-validator==2.3.0
 confluent-kafka==2.6.1
 apscheduler==3.11.0
+httpx==0.28.1
diff --git a/somba/api/app.py b/somba/api/app.py
index b0c5e7f..8f1576c 100644
--- a/somba/api/app.py
+++ b/somba/api/app.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 from somba.api.errors import APIError, error_response
 from somba.api.events import router as events_router
 from somba.api.invoices import router as invoices_router
+from somba.api.metrics import router as metrics_router
 from somba.api.middleware.auth import get_current_merchant
 from somba.api.middleware.idempotency import IdempotencyMiddleware
 from somba.api.plans import router as plans_router
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
 app.include_router(subscriptions_router)
 app.include_router(invoices_router)
 app.include_router(events_router)
+app.include_router(metrics_router)
 
 
 @app.on_event("startup")
diff --git a/somba/api/metrics.py b/somba/api/metrics.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3481539
--- /dev/null
+++ b/somba/api/metrics.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+"""Operational metrics endpoint: key billing health counters for the merchant."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends
+from sqlalchemy import func, select
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
+
+from somba.api.middleware.auth import get_current_merchant
+from somba.db.models import (
+    LedgerIntent,
+    LedgerIntentStatus,
+    Merchant,
+    OutboxEvent,
+    OutboxEventStatus,
+    Subscription,
+    SubscriptionStatus,
+)
+from somba.db.session import get_db
+
+router = APIRouter(tags=["metrics"])
+
+
+@router.get("/v1/metrics")
+def get_metrics(
+    db: Session = Depends(get_db),
+    merchant: Merchant = Depends(get_current_merchant),
+) -> dict:
+    """Return key operational health counters for the authenticated merchant."""
+    mid = merchant.id
+
+    pending_intents = db.scalar(
+        select(func.count()).select_from(LedgerIntent).where(
+            LedgerIntent.status == LedgerIntentStatus.pending,
+            LedgerIntent.merchant_id == mid,
+        )
+    )
+    payment_uncertain = db.scalar(
+        select(func.count()).select_from(Subscription).where(
+            Subscription.status == SubscriptionStatus.payment_uncertain,
+            Subscription.merchant_id == mid,
+        )
+    )
+    outbox_pending = db.scalar(
+        select(func.count()).select_from(OutboxEvent).where(
+            OutboxEvent.status == OutboxEventStatus.pending,
+            OutboxEvent.merchant_id == mid,
+        )
+    )
+    active_subs = db.scalar(
+        select(func.count()).select_from(Subscription).where(
+            Subscription.status == SubscriptionStatus.active,
+            Subscription.merchant_id == mid,
+        )
+    )
+
+    return {
+        "metrics": {
+            "pending_intents": pending_intents,
+            "payment_uncertain_subscriptions": payment_uncertain,
+            "outbox_pending_events": outbox_pending,
+            "active_subscriptions": active_subs,
+        }
+    }
diff --git a/somba/scheduler/reconciliation_triggers.py b/somba/scheduler/reconciliation_triggers.py
index 2c9a7f4..dd581b9 100644
--- a/somba/scheduler/reconciliation_triggers.py
+++ b/somba/scheduler/reconciliation_triggers.py
@@ -1,2 +1,34 @@
-"""Reconciliation trigger scheduler placeholder."""
+"""Reconciliation scheduler ticks: periodic sweep + verify pass."""
 
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import logging
+
+from somba.db.session import SessionLocal
+from somba.workers.reconcile import sweep, verify_pass
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def reconcile_sweep_tick() -> None:
+    """Fetch recent Nomba transactions and match against pending intents."""
+    db = SessionLocal()
+    try:
+        resolved = sweep.run(db)
+        log.info("reconcile.sweep tick: resolved=%d", resolved)
+    except Exception:
+        log.exception("reconcile sweep tick failed")
+    finally:
+        db.close()
+
+
+def verify_pass_tick() -> None:
+    """Query Nomba to resolve payment_uncertain subscriptions."""
+    db = SessionLocal()
+    try:
+        resolved = verify_pass.run(db)
+        log.info("verify_pass tick: resolved=%d", resolved)
+    except Exception:
+        log.exception("verify_pass tick failed")
+    finally:
+        db.close()
diff --git a/somba/scheduler/runner.py b/somba/scheduler/runner.py
index 105be61..894f4f8 100644
--- a/somba/scheduler/runner.py
+++ b/somba/scheduler/runner.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 from somba.db.session import SessionLocal
 from somba.scheduler.billing_sweep import emit_due_billing_events
+from somba.scheduler.reconciliation_triggers import reconcile_sweep_tick, verify_pass_tick
 from somba.observability.alerts import check_pending_intents, PaymentUncertainMonitor
 
 
@@ -75,7 +76,23 @@ def build_scheduler() -> BlockingScheduler:
         max_instances=1,
         coalesce=True,
     )
-    
+    scheduler.add_job(
+        reconcile_sweep_tick,
+        trigger="interval",
+        minutes=5,
+        id="reconcile_sweep",
+        max_instances=1,
+        coalesce=True,
+    )
+    scheduler.add_job(
+        verify_pass_tick,
+        trigger="interval",
+        minutes=5,
+        id="verify_pass",
+        max_instances=1,
+        coalesce=True,
+    )
+
     return scheduler
 
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_smoke.py b/tests/integration/test_smoke.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0991e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/test_smoke.py
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+"""Golden path smoke test: full subscription billing lifecycle end-to-end.
+
+Exercises the complete happy path:
+  1. Create plan + customer + subscription via HTTP API
+  2. Run billing sweep (charge worker phase 1) — writes LedgerIntent
+  3. Run execute_pending (charge worker phase 2) with mocked Nomba success
+  4. Assert invoice is paid
+  5. Assert charge.succeeded event is in outbox
+  6. Assert /v1/metrics reflects the active subscription
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from sqlalchemy import select
+
+from somba.db.models import (
+    Customer,
+    Invoice,
+    InvoiceStatus,
+    OutboxEvent,
+    OutboxEventStatus,
+)
+from somba.nomba.client import NombaChargeResult, NombaChargeStatus
+from somba.workers.charge.worker import execute_pending
+from somba.workers.charge.worker import run as billing_run
+
+
+def _mock_debit_success(**kwargs) -> NombaChargeResult:
+    return NombaChargeResult(
+        status=NombaChargeStatus.succeeded,
+        transaction_id="txn-smoke-001",
+        failure_reason=None,
+        response_code="00",
+        raw={},
+    )
+
+
+def test_full_billing_lifecycle(api_client, merchant_and_token, db):
+    """Create plan → customer → subscription, sweep, charge, verify paid invoice."""
+    merchant, token = merchant_and_token
+    auth = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {token}"}
+
+    # 1. Create plan (no trial — next_bill_date = now on subscription creation)
+    plan_resp = api_client.post(
+        "/v1/plans",
+        json={"name": "Monthly Basic", "amount": 5000, "interval": "month", "currency": "NGN"},
+        headers={**auth, "Idempotency-Key": "smoke-plan-1"},
+    )
+    assert plan_resp.status_code == 201, plan_resp.json()
+    plan_id = plan_resp.json()["plan"]["id"]
+
+    # 2. Create customer
+    cust_resp = api_client.post(
+        "/v1/customers",
+        json={"email": "smoke@test.com", "name": "Smoke User"},
+        headers={**auth, "Idempotency-Key": "smoke-cust-1"},
+    )
+    assert cust_resp.status_code == 201, cust_resp.json()
+    cust_id = cust_resp.json()["customer"]["id"]
+
+    # Attach mandate directly — the customer API doesn't expose this field yet
+    customer = db.get(Customer, cust_id)
+    customer.mandate_id = "mandate-smoke-1"
+    db.commit()
+
+    # 3. Create subscription — no trial, so status=active, next_bill_date=now
+    sub_resp = api_client.post(
+        "/v1/subscriptions",
+        json={"customer_id": cust_id, "plan_id": plan_id},
+        headers={**auth, "Idempotency-Key": "smoke-sub-1"},
+    )
+    assert sub_resp.status_code == 201, sub_resp.json()
+    sub_data = sub_resp.json()["subscription"]
+    sub_id = sub_data["id"]
+    assert sub_data["status"] == "active"
+
+    # 4. Billing sweep: find due subscriptions → write LedgerIntent
+    cutoff = datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc) + timedelta(seconds=5)
+    intents_written = billing_run(db, cutoff=cutoff)
+    assert intents_written == 1, f"Expected 1 intent written, got {intents_written}"
+
+    # 5. Execute pending intents — mock Nomba to confirm success
+    with patch("somba.nomba.client.debit_mandate", side_effect=_mock_debit_success):
+        processed = execute_pending(db, now=cutoff)
+    assert processed == 1
+
+    # 6. Invoice is now paid
+    invoice = db.scalar(
+        select(Invoice).where(
+            Invoice.subscription_id == sub_id,
+            Invoice.status == InvoiceStatus.paid,
+        )
+    )
+    assert invoice is not None, "Invoice should be paid after a successful charge"
+    assert invoice.amount == 5000
+
+    # 7. Outbox contains charge.succeeded (pending relay to Kafka)
+    charge_event = db.scalar(
+        select(OutboxEvent).where(
+            OutboxEvent.event_type == "charge.succeeded",
+            OutboxEvent.aggregate_id == str(sub_id),
+        )
+    )
+    assert charge_event is not None, "Expected charge.succeeded in outbox"
+    assert charge_event.status == OutboxEventStatus.pending
+
+    # 8. /v1/metrics reflects the state
+    metrics_resp = api_client.get("/v1/metrics", headers=auth)
+    assert metrics_resp.status_code == 200
+    m = metrics_resp.json()["metrics"]
+    assert m["active_subscriptions"] >= 1
+    # subscription.created + charge.succeeded are both pending relay
+    assert m["outbox_pending_events"] >= 2
+    assert m["pending_intents"] == 0      # intent was resolved by the charge
+    assert m["payment_uncertain_subscriptions"] == 0