By Our Reporter
For three years now, Telecom giant, MTN Uganda runs an annual Mobile Money Promotion known as MoMoNyabo. All MTN customers are eligible to participate and they are required to perform an MTN MoMo activity such as buying airtime, sending money or making payments in order to be stand a chance of winning.
The Covid-19 pandemic presented a different scenario with people’s lives being affected adversely affected both on a personal or business perspective. To that end MTN decided to stand with its customers as they were going through the rebuilding process. This year’s MoMo Nyabo promotion focused on giving out Mobile Money prizes with the aim of helping people to financially rebuild following the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic that has left many people financially struggling.
After the six weeks’ promotion that saw over 1.2 Billion shillings in prize money and over 7000 winners from all walks of life and different parts of the country, Steven Nsubuga, the MoMo Nyabo Project Manager had this to say: “We have seen winners including teachers, farmers, hair stylists, students, business people, cab drivers and many others and we hope their prize money goes a long way in helping them during this period as they rebuild.”
He added; “More and more customers are embracing MTN MoMo because it is convenient and versatile with customers making all kinds of payments, sending and receiving money across Uganda, throughout East Africa and indeed around the world and customers are also saving and borrowing using MoKash.”
As suggested by the name “MoMo Nyabo Together”, the promotion saw the winners sharing some of their prize money with their loved ones or communities as a way of helping each other rebuild ‘together’ as we continue coping with the effects of the pandemic.
For instance, Elikana Ecima, a headteacher from Arua, one of the winners who got UGX5,000,000 chose his wife Angucia Neria as a beneficiary to the money he won. Whereas Neria walked away with UGX2,000,000, he stayed with UGX3,000,000. Ecima was one of the several winners who took part in the MoMo Nyabo Together TV game show hosted by Zahara Toto and Patricko Mujuuka.
There were 2 daily winners from Monday to Friday who were randomly chosen and called in the TV show. Apart from the winners like Ecima who were called in studio, there were 250 people who won UGX 50,000 everyday which was sent to their phones using MTN MoMo. All they had to do was pay for anything using MTN MoMo and stand a chance to win.
According to Stephen Mutana, the General Manager MTN Mobile Financial Services, this promotion was aimed at giving back to the customers that have supported MTN and the MTN Mobile Money services altogether.
“The promotion came to a successful end last week and we couldn’t be any happier. We are glad we were able to not only give back to our customers but we also showed our commitment to stand with our customers during hard times such as this one,” Mutana said. He urged the MTN customers to continue using MTN MoMo because of its safety, convenience and affordability.
Christina Molly Kabuye one of the MoMoNyabo Together Promotion winners from Sembabule district praised MTN for remembering its customers especially in these hard times.
Like Kabuye, many of the winners were thankful to MTN for choosing to reward them with Mobile Money at a time when they least expected it.
From paying hospital bills to revamping businesses and paying school fees, the MTN MoMoNyabo Together promotion has resuscitated the lives of many Ugandans and their loved ones in so many ways.
Having run the impactful MTN MoMoNyabo promotion between July and August to help its customers rebuild from the devastating Covid-19 financial disruptions, MTN Uganda has, this month of September shifted its attention to protecting its customers and the entire nation at large by encouraging mask wearing as one of the most effective ways of preventing the virus.
Dubbed #WearItForMe, the campaign will see MTN reach out to the communities to embrace the much-needed behavior change as a way of fighting the spread of Corona virus.
