MTN Mobile Money is expanding cashless payment services across Uganda's industrial parks, targeting manufacturers, farmers, transport operators and other businesses to increase digital financial service adoption. The company has proposed supplying businesses with affordable mobile money-enabled devices, SIM cards and pre-installed cashless payment applications, allowing them to pay for the equipment in manageable instalments rather than making large upfront investments. The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Aminah Mukalazi, the Minister of State for Privatisation and Investment, and a delegation from MTN Mobile Money led by its General Manager, Phrase Lubega.
Mukalazi said expanding digital financial services could improve transaction security, simplify payments and widen access to financial services across different sectors. However, she stressed the need to build public confidence in digital transactions, particularly among farmers, market vendors and businesses that continue to rely heavily on cash. "I raised concerns about the need to build trust in digital financial services, particularly within the agricultural sector, markets and among market vendors," Mukalazi said. She encouraged MTN Mobile Money to extend its services to farmers' cooperatives, arguing that digital payments could reduce delays in meeting farmers' financial needs and improve access to financial services.
Keith Tukei, MTN Mobile Money's General Manager of Regional Operations, said the company was ready to support the digitisation of industrial parks, building on its existing partnership with Kiira Motors, where it provides cashless payment services for electric buses. Tukei said MTN was also interested in extending similar solutions to businesses involved in artisan activities, agro-industrialisation and mineral extraction, including merchant lending to support enterprises. Justine Icabala Ziruba, MTN Mobile Money's Enterprise Segment Manager, said the company had already visited several industrial parks to promote cashless transactions and that the proposed arrangement would make it easier for businesses to adopt digital payment systems without bearing the full cost of equipment upfront.
The delegation highlighted MTN Mobile Money's bulk payment services, which enable businesses to make payments across different mobile money networks. The company also cited free withdrawal charges for transactions of Shs300,000 and below as part of its service offering. Mukalazi urged the company to extend its digital payment solutions beyond industrial parks to other sectors, particularly transport, where taxi operators and other players could benefit from cashless transactions. She commended MTN's initiatives targeting boda boda riders, including Code Yo and Mali Yo, saying similar interventions could help expand the use of digital financial services among transport operators.
The meeting explored the company's engagements with agricultural communities, including banana growers in Isingiro District and coffee farmers, as it seeks to develop financial solutions suited to their needs. Mukalazi welcomed MTN Mobile Money's provision for reversing erroneous transactions, describing such safeguards as important in building customer confidence in digital financial services. The discussions also covered efforts to extend digital financial services to refugee settlements, as Government seeks to improve financial access beyond established commercial centres.