“We deliver the most connected one-stop mobile payments and digital commerce service for businesses, mobile network operators, financial institutions and their consumers.” Reads Mula’s What We Do describes to the end user.
What is MULA?
In technical terms, Mula is a payments aggregator powered by Cellulant corporation accessible via the *223# USSD code or via a mobile app, for this case Android. We’ve tried both and they collate payments like Airtime, Internet,TV, utilities among others into one place. For now you can only buy Airtime, pay utilities like Yaka for prepaid accounts and Umeme bills for postpaid accounts and pay TV (More on this later)
The underlying payments tech in Mula helps in connecting financial sector customers, telecoms and other businesses to their increasingly mobile customers through the aforementioned portals.
Cellulant prides itself for having been in the business for the last 7 years with 37 banks on its platform maintaining 35 million accounts, 61 million merchant accounts and 1 million monthly active users. Its unknown how many of these accounts it maintains in Uganda but so far it has registered over 50,000 downloads on the Playstore.
It doesn’t end there, they also directly connect to 16 Mobile Network Operators with a total of 85 Million wallets, call them mobile money accounts and it is safe to be that they have experience in the mobile payments space.
Back to the payment aggregator basics, what Mula does with all the banks, telecoms and business that integrates to its platform is to bring a one stop payments and commerce solution to the respective customers of these entities. A Mula account helps you transact across a diverse payments portfolio from a single place providing you with bills placement, bill notifications (because bills have to be paid on time) and their eventual payments.
Mula keeps track of all these while it helps manage and interact with you bills.
How do I get the Mula App?
You can get by dialling the *223# USSD codes for those without smartphones or by downloading the Android app. The USSD codes are straightforward while you have to signup with your mobile number after which you’re sent a code to authenticate your account WhatsApp style.
You choose your preferred payments method though you’re limited to MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money for now.
The user interface is straightforward and you only have to swipe to navigate it through Home, Airtime (Remember How to pay for Airtime without scratchcards?, add Mula to that listt), Pay (This is where you find what to pay for) and finally History that has a record of your previous payments.
Cellulant says overtime it is looking at adding personal bills for merchants that are not currently on its ecosystem. Notwithstanding, such payments will include school fees, car payments, insurance payments among others.
Available services
In the Utilities category they have National Water and Sewage Corporation (NWSC), Umeme, Yaka and in the TV and Internet Category they have Azam TV, Africell and Smart. It should be note that Mula lists on its website other service providers like KCCA in government, DSTV, GOtv, Zuku, Startimes and Smile in Business, in banks they have NC Bank, Pride, Standard Chartered, Bank of Africa, Barclays, Centenary Bank, DTB, Finance Trust, Eco Banks and Stanbic. Finally they list MTN, Airtel and UTL in Mobile Network Operators.
It should be noted that some of the above service providers are not readily available over the USSD interface or via the app but we believe they will be added overtime.
You can download the Mula App here or check their Facebook here for more information.
