How MTN Uganda is Driving Digital Solutions Through Partnerships

MTN Uganda’s recent rollout of a mobile-based supply chain platform that allows businesses in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) to place orders, generate invoices for deliveries, pay and collect returns in real-time, has demonstrated its commitment to driving digital solutions for the country’s progress through partnerships.

The telecom company has in the past 10 years unveiled several digital solutions to meet customers’ needs and help transform the economy.

Following the launch of the MTN Mobile Money platform in 2009, MTN has stirred the development of new digital technologies with the latest being the FMCG Digital Suite riding on the power of partnerships.

MTN’s Technology Business partnered with the fintech arm, MTN Mobile Money Limited to develop a digital platform for the distribution of products and services and allow payment for delivered goods via MTN Mobile Money.

“We at MTN Uganda believe in the power of partnerships to drive digital solutions for our economy,” said MTN Uganda CEO Sylvia Mulinge. “We believe that partnerships enable us to come up with products and services that otherwise we would not be able to provide on our own such as e-commerce, finance, health, and investment among others.”

“We are looking forward to coming up with more digital solutions in partnership with other service providers so that we can transform people’s lives in line with our vision of providing a leading digital solution to support Africa’s progress,” adds Mulinge.

In 2016, MTN entered into a strategic partnership with NCBA Bank to unveil Mokash, enabling MTN Mobile Money customers to access instant loans via mobile phones to fund emergencies, school fees, and other expenses and save for their future endeavors.

Currently, the majority of the 10.9 million mobile money customers have access to the Mokash platform for loans and savings boosting the country’s financial inclusion agenda.

In 2018, MTN entered into a partnership with MyXeno, a goal-based investment platform to helps people plan, save, and invest. Now, 10% of MTN customers have since interacted with MyXeno on the USSD channel.

From January to October 2022, the total deposits on MyXeno amounted to UGX 1 million, but in the first three months of 2023, the value invested had increased to UGX 2 million.

Last year, MTN Uganda also partnered with ClinicPesa, a healthcare financing solution that allows customers to plan for their health treatment from as little as UGX500 per day.

With this platform, users can save up for their family’s medical expenses, and there is a specific product called ClinicPesa MaMas for expectant mothers to plan for their delivery. 

So far, more than 8,100 MaMas are subscribed to ClinicPesa Mama, and 120,000 women are subscribed to ClinicPesa. Additionally, ClinicPesa has partnered with 2,425 hospitals and clinics across Uganda to provide quality healthcare to users.

In addition, MTN has partnered with Post Bank to unveil “Wendi,” a mobile wallet platform designed to support the government in the seamless disbursement of Parish Development Model funds.

The platform powered by PostBank strategically pivots on group savings and funds management, digital money savings, transfers, deposits, and withdrawals, to drive financial inclusion within unbanked Ugandan communities.

Uganda is currently sprinting toward digitization and has the potential to reach new heights as long as it addresses shortfalls in physical and human capital, as well as weaknesses and gaps in taxation laws concerning access to internet-enabled devices and internet.