MTN Uganda launched 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.
The new platform dubbed FMCG Digital Suite automates the distribution of products and services and allows payment for delivered goods via MTN Mobile Money, eliminating the use of cash in the supply chain. The service has been developed by MTN’s Technology Business and fintech arm, MTN Mobile Money.
Launching the innovation at Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL), MTN Uganda Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Sylvia Mulinge, said the new platform is in line with MTN’s Ambition 2025 Strategy that is focusing on building the largest and most valuable platform business in Africa, with a focus on driving digital transformation across various industries.
“This FMCG Digital Suite represents a significant step in our mission to empower businesses, enhance operational efficiency, and enable cashless payments within the FMCG ecosystem,” she said. “We are privileged to collaborate with Uganda Breweries Limited, to pilot the FMCG Digital suite through their ecosystem.”
Mulinge encouraged more other businesses to enroll on the platform to reap the benefits of a modern connected world.
This development comes at a time the businesses are embracing digital solutions to improve efficiency, combat supply chain challenges, and reach wider markets.
The latest statistics from the International Trade Administration show that half a billion people in Africa will be e-commerce users by 2025. And according to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), digital commerce could add $180 billion to the region’s GDP by the same year driven by the expansion of the mobile Internet.
Richard Yego, the Managing Director at MTN Mobile Money Uganda Ltd said the new platform will not only hasten the adoption of digital mobile money payments but also boost safety of the business persons in dealing with returns.
UBL Managing Director, Andrew Kilonzo, said the company’s step to embrace this new technology is in line with their passion for innovation to drive digitization and improvement of operational efficiency while addressing the risk of handling cash by their distributors.
“This is a game changer for us that will essentially translate towards delivering even more value to our consumers. We appreciate a partner like MTN Uganda for coming forward and providing scale to our journey towards digitization,” he said.
MTN Uganda is currently inviting FMCG businesses to explore the FMCG Digital Suite and experience the transformative power of digital solutions.
