Popular Telecom, MTN Rwanda is set to publish Mobile Money API (Application Programming Interface) that will allow local entrepreneurs and start-ups to build solutions that accept mobile money payments.

This was confirmed by the firm’s Chief Executive Officer Mitwa Kaemba Ng’ambi during a recent interview with The New Times.

API is a software intermediary that allows two applications to ‘talk to each other’.

Payment APIs are interfaces designed for managing payments and enable e-Commerce sites and platforms to process payments for goods and services, track orders, and maintain customers’ lists.

This when rolled out will make it possible for local businesses and entrepreneurs to build and market solutions that are easily compatible with Mobile Money as a payment model.

"In the mobile money space, a space we see an opportunity for the wider stakeholder environment, is allowing integration opportunities for those select segments into the mobile money environment. You will see us before the end of the year publishing the MOMO API that will allow entrepreneurs build solutions that accept mobile money payments,” Ng’ambi said in a recent interview.

The publishing of the API, will ease the ability of local entrepreneurs to offer mobile money payment options on their respective platforms creating seamless interactions with clients.

 Local e-commerce businesses and platforms businesses say that the development will enable them to adjust models of payments to improve convenience and reduce reliance on cash.

The development, Ng’ambi said, is in line with plans to open up the mobile money participation further for businesses and enterprises.

"We would like to open up the ecosystem to onboard SMEs, content creators, young enterprenuers, and application developers to be able to expand the mobile money ecosystem. We want to do that so that we can get to a place where there is no need for physical cash anywhere,” she said.

MTN Rwanda is also in the process of considering adding more functionality to their application dubbed AYOBA. The application is aimed at providing a solution where users can be able to communicate absolutely for free.

Ng’ambi said that in coming months, they are looking into adding more functionality with possibly of integration of mobile money so that we can create a rich user experience with the digital application.

The firm’s mobile money subscriber base crossed the 3 million mark reaching over 60 per cent of our customer base. That way, 6 out of 10 MTN subscribers now have and use mobile money accounts.

The firm said that they have since expanded the MoMo Pay merchant footprint with over 30,000 active MoMo Pay merchants across the country.