MTN MoMo at 15 celebrations climaxed with awards night to honour agents, merchants, other stakeholders

MTN Ghana has climaxed the 15th-anniversary celebration of Mobile Money (MoMo) with a grand Stakeholder Dinner and Awards Night, honouring partners for their invaluable contributions to driving the service's growth and success.

Held at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra on Friday, November 8, the event brought together a host of dignitaries including the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, partners, agents, and key players who have been instrumental in the growth of MTN MoMo since its inception in 2009.

The awards ceremony was a fitting climax to a year-long celebration that highlighted the remarkable strides made by MTN MoMo in revolutionising financial services in Ghana.

The Chief Executive Officer of Mobile Money Limited, Shaibu Haruna, set the tone for the evening with a heartfelt address.

He expressed his profound gratitude to the millions of Ghanaians who have embraced MoMo over the years.

“On behalf of the management and board of MTN Ghana, I want to express our sincere appreciation to all our stakeholders, especially our MoMo users,” said Shaibu Haruna.

He continued, “To the Bank of Ghana, we say a big thank you for embracing our vision and implementing policies that support financial inclusion. Our vibrant fintech community, agents, merchants, and staff have been the backbone of our success, and we look forward to even brighter times ahead.”

Mr. Shaibu Haruna

In an address, Susan Yawson, Chief Financial Officer at MTN Mobile Money Limited, acknowledged the critical role of partners and stakeholders in driving the financial inclusion agenda in Ghana.

“We are here today because we all believe in the transformative power of Mobile Money. Tonight, we honour the exceptional contributions of our partners who have supported our mission for the past 15 years,” she said.

The awards night was an opportunity for MTN to recognise the outstanding efforts of its partners across various categories.

The prestigious Overall Best MoMo Agent award went to IK Bediako, who received a plaque and a brand-new motorbike. Meanwhile, China Mall was named the Overall Best MoMo Merchant, taking home a plaque and a cash reward of GHS15,000.

A special recognition award was presented to the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), Archie Hesse, who was named the Fintech Champion of the Decade.

He expressed his gratitude upon receiving the award, saying, “It’s a pleasure to receive this honour. I am grateful for the recognition and for the collaboration we’ve had with MTN over the years.”

Madam Rita Tetteh, the woman featured in the debut MoMo advert, also received a Special Recognition Award with a cash reward of GHS 30,000.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, she shared her heartfelt appreciation, saying, “I cannot express how thankful I am. MTN has made a big difference in my life, even helping me to own my own house. God bless everyone involved.”

Looking Forward: A Vision for the Future.
In his closing remarks, Shaibu Haruna, the CEO of Mobile Money Limited highlighted MTN’s vision for the next decade, emphasising the company’s ambition to provide financial freedom for every Ghanaian.

He noted the robust infrastructure in place, expressing optimism about the future.

“With the strong foundation we have built, we are on the verge of an unprecedented explosion in the fintech industry,” Mr. Haruna said and added, “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we are excited about the journey ahead. We value the partnerships we have forged, and we are committed to doing even better together.”

The evening ended on a high note, with a renewed sense of commitment from all stakeholders to continue driving the digital financial services agenda in Ghana.

As MTN MoMo looks back on 15 years of success, the future promises even greater opportunities for growth, innovation, and collaboration in the fintech space.

Other award winners on the night;

• Overall Best Fintech Company of the Year: Hubtel
• Overall Best Financial Services Provider: First Atlantic Bank
• Government Partner of the Year: Electricity Company of Ghana
• Fintech Partner of the Year (B2B): Nsano
• Most Innovative Fintech Partner: appsNmobile
• Fintech Partner of the Year (Government Sub Category): Hubtel
• Fintech Partner of the Year (Merchant Sub Category): BluPenguin
• Bank Partner of the Year (Lending Sub Category): Letshego
• Fintech Partner of the Year: Jumo
• Remittance Partner of the Year (Remittance Sub Category): IT Consortium
• Most Innovative Product of the Year: Agent Flex by Tyra and FAB
• Corporate Partner of the Year: Keed Ghana Limited
• Technology Partner of the Year: Erikson