MTN Mobile Money is exploring partnerships with the government to expand digital financial services across Uganda’s industrial parks, agricultural sector and transport industry as the country accelerates efforts to embrace a cashless economy.
The development follows a meeting between State Minister for Privatisation and Investment, Aminah Mukalazi, and a delegation from MTN Mobile Money led by its General Manager, Phrase Lubega, to discuss opportunities for collaboration in advancing digital financial services across different sectors.
During the meeting, MTN Mobile Money’s General Manager of Regional Operations, Keith Tukei, said the company was ready to support the digitisation of Uganda’s industrial parks by introducing digital payment solutions and other financial services to businesses and investors.
Tukei highlighted the company’s existing partnership with Kiira Motors, where MTN Mobile Money provides cashless payment services for electric buses, saying similar arrangements could be extended to industrial parks and other economic activities.
The proposed areas of collaboration include artisan activities, agro-industrialisation, mineral extraction and other investment sectors, with a focus on digital financial solutions and merchant lending services.
MTN Mobile Money Enterprise Segment Manager, Justine Icabala Ziruba, revealed that the company had already visited several industrial parks to promote the adoption of cashless transactions.
She explained that MTN was considering providing affordable gadgets and SIM cards to businesses, with payments made in manageable instalments. The devices would also come with cashless applications pre-installed to make it easier for businesses to adopt digital financial services.
According to Ziruba, the initiative would improve transaction security by reducing the need for business owners and workers to carry physical cash.
She also highlighted some of the services offered by MTN Mobile Money, including free withdrawal charges for transactions of UGX 300,000 and below, as well as bulk payment solutions that work across all mobile money networks.
In her remarks, Minister Mukalazi commended MTN Mobile Money for its contribution to Uganda’s financial services sector and the public trust it has built over the years.
She recognised the company’s partnership with Kiira Motors, as well as initiatives such as Code Yo and Mali Yo, which target boda boda riders.
The minister encouraged MTN to extend similar digital payment solutions to taxi operators and other players in the public transport sector.
However, Mukalazi emphasised that building public confidence in digital financial services remained important, particularly among farmers, market vendors and people operating within the agricultural sector.
Responding to the concerns, the MTN delegation said it was already engaging these groups to understand their financial needs and develop solutions that address their specific challenges.
The minister also urged the company to bring farmers’ cooperatives on board, noting that digital financial services could help reduce delays in processing farmers’ financial transactions and improve their access to financial support.
She further appreciated MTN’s provision for reversing erroneous mobile money transactions, describing such safeguards as important in building customer confidence and encouraging wider adoption of digital payments.
The engagement signals growing interest in partnerships between government and private sector players to expand financial inclusion, improve business transactions and support investment across Uganda’s productive sectors.
If implemented, the proposed collaborations could give businesses operating in industrial parks, farmers, transport operators and other enterprises greater access to convenient digital payment and financial services.
