By Our Reporter
Vivo Energy Uganda has entered into a partnership with MTN Mobile Money Uganda Limited to provide cashless payment services at Shell service stations across the country via MTN MoMoPay. Under the partnership, the MTN services now available at Shell stations include MoMoPay, airtime and data purchase, cash withdrawal and cash deposits.
“With this partnership, we are expanding the range of mobile financial services and cashless payment options available at Shell service stations to enable our customers make secure and contactless payments for goods and services. This allows us to provide greater convenience to our customers by making it easier to conduct financial transactions at Shell. There is no need to carry cash to pay for any of the services available at Shell,” said Gilbert Assi, Managing Director, Vivo Energy Uganda.
The service will be available at 167 Shell service stations around the country.
“This partnership allows us to leverage the wide network of Shell service stations countrywide to provide greater accessibility and make it easier for our customers to transact via mobile money. Transitioning to digital financial services makes transactions faster, smarter and safer,” said Stephen Mutana the CEO, MTN Mobile Money Uganda Limited.
The rapid growth in digital transactions, supported by mobile money have increased the pace of financial inclusion. According to Bank of Uganda, Uganda’s mobile money transactions grew by 19.3% to Shs 79.8 trillion by June 2020. Statistics from the Uganda Communications Commission 2020 Market Performance Report indicate that there was record growth in the number of mobile money accepting businesses to 32,000 in December 2020 from 26,000 in September 2020, driven by the prevailing pandemic.
“Mobile payment services have become a necessity, especially with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic which has fast tracked the need for contactless payment solutions. Needless to say, with the fast paced digital world in which we currently live that continues to be disrupted by digital technology, digital financial services will continue to grow. We are leveraging the strength of digital technology to allow our customers to do more at Shell. This is yet another demonstration of our commitment to transforming our Shell service stations into retail destinations,” Assi added.
Under the national financial inclusion strategy (2017-22), Bank of Uganda has set out to achieve a cashless economy by 2022, which involves building digital infrastructure, implementing the strategy for financial literacy (2019/24) and making payment services affordable.
