MTN group set to introduce the first mobile money API in Uganda starting with a series of training 100 software developers starting November 17th to 8th December, 2018 with an aim of exposing them to existing API infrastructure.
The call for interested developers runs from 6th-12th November 2018 and you could apply through this link.
Are you a web or mobile developer? Do you have apps that require Mobile Money payment?
Then don’t miss the MTN MoMo Open API training as 100 developers are training in using the MTN MoMo Open API.
Visit https://t.co/ew9MA4uEkg to apply for your spot. #MTNMobileMoney #MTNMoMoAPI pic.twitter.com/jyNm7BJJWu
— MTN Uganda (@mtnug) November 7, 2018
Participants will be selected on the first come first serve basis.
What is an API?
API stands for Application Programming Interface which acts as a connection between software applications and operating systems. APIs are used by applications or software to send requests to operating systems or database to ensure full interaction of a given information system.
A day to day example that could bring out the role an API is the restaurant structure which comprises of chefs, waiters and the customers. When a customer needs to make an order, a waiter is called upon to take it. The order is then passed onto the chefs in the kitchen where the meal is prepared and brought to the customer through that given waiter.
In the tech world, the customers are the applications which send request to the system or database through the API (waiters) to the system or database who are the Chefs of the restaurant. When the request has been processed, the system (chefs) send feedback to the application through that given API (waiter).
Examples of APIs we have interfaced with include the camera API in smartphone operating systems which when used allow applications such as Facebook, Snapchat, and other applications that require the use of your phone camera. With API infrastructure in place, developers do not need to go into coding commands to interact with device hardware but simply have to add these into their application code.
This is similar to the customers that order for meals from the menu. These do not require to have an idea of how the chefs (system) will prepare or organize the meal. They only use the waiter (APIs) to submit (system requests) and receive the food (system response).
Why Mobile Money API?
Considering the rise in digital transactions mainly being attributed to mobile money, applications in time to come will need to incorporate the mobile money APIs in their systems in order to support money services. In 2017, Bank of Uganda (BoU) placed mobile money transactions at Shs54trillion up from Shs44trillion in 2016. The raise by 10 trillion showed a significant growth of this service that was introduced in 2009. The demand for this service in various applications will soon rise which justifies why MTN has taken this bold step.
Over half of the mobile money customers in Uganda use MTN
In their official communication, MTN states that it “Believes that an open API infrastructure is key to fostering innovation for a financial inclusive economy… we hope to encourage monetization of innovations, stimulate new use cases of mobile money APIs and most of all build value for innovators.”
With over 9 million mobile customers, according to a report released by Twaweza East Africa, MTN has a percentage of 54% of mobile money users in the country whereas the other major player is ast 25%.
This is a clear indication that more than half of the all mobile customer belonged to the telco giant-MTN. In addition to the above numbers, MTN this year took a step ahead to introduce more mobile money products that supported SMEs business transactions that is MoMo pay and MoMo Pay card.
MTN Uganda partners with MasterCard and UBA to launch the MoMoCard: A new cardless payments solution
Pay for good and services without Mobile Money charges by using MTN’s MoMo Pay
