Mobile Money has transformed Uganda’s financial landscape, but with convenience comes complexity. As mobile money platforms become central to the economy, the battle against fraud intensifies.
This challenge is front and center during this Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and to achieve its purpose, MTN MoMo, a subsidiary of MTN Uganda, this week joined forces with partners like Milima Security, Echo Uganda, and the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance to dissect the future of digital safety in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The core message of the collaborative forum was a vital one: “We can only protect what we understand, and that begins with awareness.”
AI: The Double-Edged Sword in Fighting Fraud
The discussion highlighted that the complexity of cybersecurity is rapidly evolving, a trend driven largely by the rise of AI.
The MTN MoMo team, led by the Chief Executive Director, Richard Yego, emphasised that while AI introduces powerful new threats, it also provides the most advanced tools for defense.
Andrew John Bugembe, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of MTN Uganda, pointed to the relentless nature of this new defense mechanism.
“AI doesn’t sleep or take weekends off; it learns. When used responsibly, it becomes our strongest defense against fraud,” Bugembe said, adding, “But if misused, it can easily become the threat itself.”
He stressed that the responsibility for the ethical and robust implementation of this technology rests squarely with the platform providers.
Albert Gitta, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of MTN Uganda, echoed this sentiment, noting the increased complexity of modern cybersecurity.
“We are only as strong as our weakest link, and that’s why collaboration and partnerships like these matter more than ever,” Gitta said.
He noted that this underlines a strategy where technology is combined with human vigilance and industry-wide cooperation.
Security as a Promise and The MoMo Investment
For MTN MoMo, security is not treated as merely a technical requirement, but as a commitment to its vast customer base. Yego, the CEO of MTN MoMo, reaffirmed this operational philosophy.
“Cybersecurity for MTN MoMo is more than a protocol; it’s a promise,” Yego stated, adding, “MoMo continues to invest heavily to safeguard the trust our customers have placed in us, because in a world powered by data and digital finance, security isn’t just a requirement, it’s a responsibility.” Yego revealed that this heavy investment goes toward:
AI-Powered Monitoring: By deploying sophisticated AI systems that constantly learn and detect abnormal transaction patterns and potential fraud attempts in real time.
Robust Infrastructure: By fortifying the core mobile money platform against sophisticated external attacks.
Customer Education: Having recognised that the customer is often the weakest link, efforts are being channelled into high-impact awareness campaigns to teach digital safety.
Building a Safer Digital Ecosystem Together
The collaborative effort with the Ministry of ICT and security partners signals a national, unified approach. The goal extends beyond protecting individual MTN MoMo users; it aims to champion a safer, more resilient digital ecosystem for all of Uganda.
By blending cutting-edge AI defenses with transparent communication and strong industry partnerships, MTN MoMo is actively working to dismantle the threat of mobile money fraud, reinforcing the faith of millions of users in digital financial services, and securing the future of the digital economy.