By Lukia Nakamanya
In an effort to optimise the growth potential of the digital economy and social economic transformation of Uganda, MTN Mobile Money Uganda and Outbox, an innovation hub hatched a plan to work together.
With a vision to improve the innovation ecosystem in the country, the two institutions launched another edition of the famous MTN Momo Hackathon, entailing a new exciting challenge that is calling for entrepreneurs, software developers, and innovators to participate in developing payment solutions hosted on the MTN Mobile Money platform.
Developers will compete to create innovative applications for the markets in which they are registered, which can process financial transactions with added capabilities that go beyond processing payments and drive both financial inclusion and literacy.
Speaking at the launch on Friday last week, Stephen Mutana, the Chief Regulatory, and Administration officer at MTN Mobile Money services Uganda Ltd, said that MTN is ready to harness the immense potential and talents young innovators have by providing the vital connections they need so as to realize their ideas and bring them to life.
In addition, MTN Uganda will give third parties access to its mobile money programming interface to enable them to develop modern tech solutions without facing the cost of building and maintaining a new API.
This implies that the applicants will have an opportunity to leverage the available technological infrastructure in place.
“We know that the youth in Uganda have immense potential and talent but sometimes lack the vital connection to bring their ideas and dreams to life. At MTN Uganda, we are happy to provide that vital connection and infrastructure,” Mutana said, while launching the MTN MoMo Hackathon 2022.
Mutana also approached the Hackathon challenge by using childhood analogies to bring to life the idea of development and continuous discovery of systems that have improved livelihoods in both the social and economic areas of today’s world.
“Currently, the world has taken a complete turn to appreciate the convenience of cashless transactions like e-payments that help pay for goods and services directly from their MTN Money accounts,” Mutana said.
Richard Zulu, the team leader at Outbox Innovation hub that grooms youths in technology said that the team is delighted in MTN’s continuous support for the youth looking for opportunities to explore their abilities in software development and technological innovations.
The lucky winners of this new challenge will walk away with the first prize of $ 5,000, the second prize will be $3,000 and the third prize is $ 2,000.
These packages will advance their innovations and support them in attaining higher goals in software development.
The MoMo API Hackathon will enable developers based in Ghana, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Rwanda, eSwatini, Congo Brazzaville, Guinea Conakry, Zambia and Benin to offer financial and transactional applications innovations using the MTN mobile money (MoMo) API platform.
To register, visit https://www.mtn.co.ug/hackathon/ and stand a chance to participate in the MoMo Hackathon 2022.
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