Operator MTN Uganda, its mobile finance business MTN Mobile Money (U) Limited, and the Uganda Hotel Owners’ Association (UHOA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), marking what they call the beginning of a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating digital transformation in Uganda’s hospitality sector.
The partnership brings together MTN Uganda’s digital and ICT expertise, MTN MoMo’s financial technology solutions, and UHOA’s hospitality network of over 780 hotels across Uganda. It is designed to drive the adoption of mobile money, e-commerce, enterprise connectivity, guest Wi-Fi, and other digital solutions within Uganda’s growing tourism and hospitality space.
MTN Uganda notes that, as part of its Ambition 2025 strategy, MTN is shifting from a telco to a full-scale techco, and partnerships like this are critical to driving growth in priority sectors like hospitality.
Indeed, the hospitality sector accounts for nearly 70% of employment in Uganda’s tourism industry. Recognising this, the partnership aims to empower UHOA members with tools that enhance efficiency, service delivery and customer convenience, ranging from digital payments to ICT business solutions tailored for hotels.
MTN MoMo says it will work closely with hotel owners to roll out mobile money solutions for digital transactions such as bookings, bill payments and integrations with hotel management systems.
On the enterprise side, MTN Uganda’s Enterprise Business Unit (EBU) will offer bespoke solutions including affordable internet connectivity, reliable guest Wi-Fi, unified communications and software as a service (SaaS) for the hospitality business.
Following this signing, MTN and UHOA say they will initiate a sector-wide engagement to better understand the operational communication and technology needs of hotel owners. This process will aim at delivering solutions to ensure service enhancement, solution customisation, and sector-wide digitisation of the hospitality industry.
Looking ahead, the collaboration is set to extend beyond hotel premises, with planned engagements involving key stakeholders like the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), Uganda Tour Operators Association, and other public/private sector bodies.
