Telecommunications group MTN is inviting developers and entrepreneurs across five countries to participate in its mobile money (MoMo) access programming interface (API) hackathon.
The hackathon, in partnership with MoMo technology partner Ericsson, will give app developers based in Ghana, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Zambia the opportunity to create innovative financial and transactional apps using the MTN MoMo API platform.
MTN opened access to its MoMo API in an effort to encourage innovation on the platform and the development of products and other solutions that will create a wider range of digital financial offerings for MTN’s customers, says MTN mobile financial services group executive Serigne Dioum.
“Enhancing financial inclusion through digital technology is an essential element in supporting the continent’s realisation of some of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.”
The move is also seen as an opportunity for MTN to work with more technology developers, entrepreneurs and businesses to bridge the financial divide, while enabling them to create opportunities for themselves.
MTN and Ericsson will select 12 applicants in each country to create a “useful and usable” mobile app on the MTN MoMo API platform, targeting consumers, merchants or businesses in the market where the applicants have registered.
The preselected applicants will have two weeks to develop their ideas, which can cover use cases beyond payment, as long as the MTN MoMo API is used.
The preselected applicants will need to create a live demo of their app submission.
Finalists stand the chance to win up to $2 500 and one team member will win a trip to Ericsson’s Innovation Lab in Sweden.