Driving Innovation Through Open APIs: A Recap of the MTN MoMo Open API Workshop

In a strategic collaboration between MoMo from MTN UG and the Financial Technology Service Providers Association of Uganda (FITSPA), the #MoMo Open API Awareness Workshop convened a vibrant ecosystem of #Fintech innovators, #developers, #digital payment service providers, and banks. This highly interactive session centered on the transformative power of #Open APIs and their capacity to catalyze #inclusive, #secure, and #scalable financial services in Uganda and beyond.

The workshop highlighted MoMo from MTN UG 's commitment to fostering a developer-centric environment, advancing business enablement, and building an interconnected #mobile money infrastructure powered by robust, modular #APIs.

At the heart of the engagement was a vision to leverage Open APIs for accelerating #innovation and fostering seamless #integrations across the #Fintech value chain. The discussions underlined how Open APIs can drive #business #growth, boost interoperability, and enhance #customer experiences in a rapidly evolving #digital financial #ecosystem.

Participants explored a comprehensive suite of active and upcoming #API features aimed at enhancing operational #efficiency and driving service #innovation, including capabilities such as customer #verification, voucher management (issue, redeem, expiry), payments and refunds, cash in/cash out, card payments (prepaid and debit), invoice and bill payments, USSD integration via *165#, salary payments, online fraud prevention, and scheduled auto debits, alongside additional enhancements under review such as OTP-based second-level authorization for cashouts, simplified cash liquidation processes, and the ability to link Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) within the MoMo App.

Developer tools and #API testing were facilitated through internal brainstorming sessions led by Ddamulira Allan , with teams using Postman and the MTN developer portal (momo.developers.mtn.com) to access the #sandbox environment and engage with the broader developer community.

A dynamic and participatory dialogue surfaced several operational considerations and knowledge gaps, highlighted cases included Customer Verification and Get Paid functionalities tailored for digital merchants; powerful capabilities that have direct relevance for scaling fintech operations in Uganda.

Attendees emphasized the benefits of #QR-based invoicing, seamless #USSD support, #wallet transfers, and easy-to-navigate sandbox access. The emphasis on modular architecture and clean documentation was hailed as a game-changer for developers aiming to build and scale quickly.

The MoMo Open API engagement was a timely and impactful forum for knowledge sharing, capability building, and #ecosystem strengthening. It reinforced the idea that Open APIs are not just technical tools, but strategic enablers of #innovation and #financial inclusion.

By addressing operational bottlenecks, highlighting real-world use cases, and welcoming developer feedback, MoMo from MTN and FITSPA Uganda demonstrated how collaborative platforms can drive #transformative outcomes.

As Uganda’s Fintech landscape continues to mature, continued efforts in #API improvement, stakeholder dialogue, and support for sandbox experimentation will be key to shaping a more #robust, #inclusive, and #innovation-driven financial future.

Feedback from Participants

The MoMo Open API Workshop was well-received by attendees, with participants praising both the technical depth and the practical relevance of the sessions. Developers expressed appreciation for MTN’s commitment to improving the developer experience, highlighting the usefulness of sandbox access and clear documentation.

“The workshop helped demystify the integration process; we now see how MoMo APIs can fit directly into our existing platforms.” --Developer, Fintech Startup

“It was refreshing to engage directly with MTN’s tech and product teams. The openness to feedback was a real highlight.” --Head of Product ChapChap.

"Representing ChapChap, I had the opportunity to explore firsthand how the MoMo Open API is shaping the future of digital finance, and it’s clear that MTN is investing heavily in developer experience, scalability, and business enablement." --Senior Software Developer, ChapChap

Participants also recommended more hands-on sessions and follow-up workshops to support deeper testing and adoption.

FITSPA Uganda extends its sincere appreciation to Tonny Ssekandi (PRINCE2®) , Ddamulira Allan , Muyanda Benard , and the entire MoMo from MTN Uganda team for co-hosting this essential engagement, and to all the participants whose insights and feedback continue to drive progress in Uganda’s #digital #finance ecosystem.