MoMo, the financial technology arm of MTN Uganda, has signed a strategic partnership with the Uganda Hotel Owners Association (UHOA) to help digitise the hospitality industry through the use of mobile money and other financial technology solutions. The partnership, sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is aimed at transforming hotel operations, boosting tourism, and promoting financial inclusion across Uganda.
The official signing ceremony took place in Kampala and was attended by top stakeholders in Uganda’s tourism and business sectors. Key guests included Juliana Kagwa, CEO of the Uganda Tourism Board, Muhwezi Susan, Chairperson of UHOA, members of the UHOA board, representatives from the Uganda Tourism Association, and senior officials from MTN Uganda including Stephen Mutana, the Chief Strategy Officer.
Speaking during the MoU signing, Mr. Dennis Kakonge, General Manager of Corporate Services and Company Secretary at MoMo MTN Uganda, described the partnership as a timely move to support smart business practices within Uganda’s hospitality industry. He noted that the partnership will benefit more than 780 hotels under the UHOA by making hotel bookings and payments easier, faster, and more secure using MoMo’s integrated payment platform.
“It’s an honour and privilege for us to partner with the Uganda Hotel Owners Association. This is the beginning of a strategic and timely partnership. We believe in walking this journey together to enable a smarter, more connected, and financially inclusive hospitality sector,” Kakonge stated.
He said the digital solution will allow hotel guests to book rooms and make payments conveniently through their mobile phones using mobile money. With this system, the need for physical cash is eliminated, which improves safety and reduces fraud. According to Kakonge, this type of financial technology enables real-time transactions, increases efficiency, and enhances the guest experience.
He also revealed that MTN MoMo will go beyond just offering a payment platform. “We’re not just offering payment solutions. We’re co-creating systems that support sustainable tourism and entrepreneurship,” he said.
Mr. Kakonge added that the fintech platform will also assist in training hotel staff, collecting customer feedback, running joint marketing campaigns, and supporting innovations that will help modernise the sector. These efforts fall in line with MoMo’s broader goal under its “Mission 2025” initiative, which aims to build a fintech ecosystem that powers inclusive economic growth and modernises how Uganda does business.
UHOA Chairperson, Mrs. Muhwezi Susan, expressed appreciation for the partnership, noting that it will help hotel owners run their businesses more professionally and give tourists and other hotel guests better service experiences. She added that the adoption of digital tools is long overdue for Uganda’s hotel industry, especially as more travellers prefer safe and cashless methods of payment.
Juliana Kagwa of the Uganda Tourism Board echoed these sentiments. She said the move will further position Uganda as a forward-thinking tourism destination with secure and tech-driven services, which is important for attracting both local and international visitors.
The hospitality sector in Uganda plays a vital role in job creation, tourism promotion, and economic growth. However, many hotels, especially those outside the capital, still operate manually and rely on cash transactions. This often leads to operational inefficiencies, security risks, and limited customer convenience.
The new MoMo-UHOA agreement is expected to tackle these challenges by equipping hotels with tools that enable digital payments, data collection, and financial reporting. This will make it easier for hotel managers to track revenue, reduce errors, and improve their service delivery.
With this collaboration, MTN MoMo is positioning itself as a key partner in national development by supporting the digital transformation of different sectors, starting with tourism and hospitality. The company believes that technology can empower small businesses, open up new markets, and enhance Uganda’s competitiveness on the global stage.
As both MoMo and UHOA begin the implementation phase of the partnership, more hotels across the country are expected to join the digital wave, allowing them to tap into the growing number of tech-savvy customers and business travellers.
