The MTN Group has granted third party access to its Mobile Money (MoMo) Access Programming Interface (API) platform.
The open API enables developers and programmers to innovate on the platform and develop products and other solutions that will create a wider range of digital financial offerings for MTN’s customers.
Mr Onome Okwah, Manager, Public Relations and Protocol Officer in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday, said the move would further foster innovation and enhance financial inclusion.
According to him, MTN is inviting developers and entrepreneurs across five countries to participate in the MoMo API Hackathon.
“The Hackathon is run in partnership with Ericsson.
“MTN’s MoMo technology partner will give app developers based in Ghana, Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Zambia the opportunity to create innovative financial and transactional applications, using the MTN MoMo API platform,” he said.
Quoting Serigne Dioum, MTN Group Executive for Mobile Financial Services, Okwah noted that enhancing financial inclusion through digital technology was essential in supporting the realisation of some of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
“We also see this as an opportunity for more tech developers, entrepreneurs and businesses to work with us in bridging the financial divide, whilst also creating ample opportunities for themselves,” he Dioum said.
Okwah said that the hackathon would further illustrate the essence of the company “We’re Good Together’ initiative. “
According to him, the initiative celebrates the role that collaboration could play in ensuring that more people enjoy the benefits of modern connected life.
“The range of solutions to narrow the financial service gap can only be achieved through various partnerships with entrepreneurs, developers, financial services providers, regulatory authorities, other mobile network operators, merchants, distributors, businesses and technology providers.
“For the challenge, developers are required to create a mobile application that uses MTN MoMo APIs the mobile application needs to target consumers, merchants or businesses.
“The application must be useful and usable in the market where the applicants have registered and can cover used cases beyond payment but must utilise MTN MoMo APIs.
“MTN/Ericsson in each country will select 12 applicants and the preselected applicants will have 2 weeks to develop their ideas, the preselected applicants will need to make a live demo of their application submission.
“Finalists stand the chance to win up to USD2,500 and one team member will win a trip to Ericsson’s Innovation Lab in Sweden,” he said.