MTN Group leadership engages South Sudan government on digital financial transformation

MTN Group executives have held high-level talks with South Sudan's Finance Minister Hon. Dr. Marial Dongrin Ater to chart a collaborative path toward reducing the nation's reliance on cash transactions. The meeting brought together MTN Group's Senior Vice President Ebenezer Twum Asante and MTN Fintech CEO Francis Matseketsa with key government officials to align mobile money innovation with national economic priorities. 

Central to discussions was MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) as a catalyst for transitioning South Sudan's cash-dominated economy toward secure digital transactions. The telecommunications leaders outlined plans to expand financial access through strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Finance while ensuring full compliance with local content regulations. "This dialogue represents our shared vision for an inclusive digital economy that empowers every South Sudanese citizen," stated Asante during the engagement. 

Minister Ater welcomed MTN's commitment to national development, recognizing the company as a critical partner in the government's digital transformation agenda. He confirmed plans to develop an implementation roadmap that would incentivize digital payments across both public and private sectors. "Reducing our cash dependency will drive transparency, efficiency, and financial access – priorities for our growing economy," the Minister affirmed. 

The meeting also served as a platform to address operational considerations, with MTN South Sudan's leadership team including Chief Finance Officer John Ayesu and Chief of Legal, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Moses Mayor contributing local market insights. Discussions touched on infrastructure requirements, regulatory alignment, and consumer education initiatives necessary to achieve widespread adoption of digital financial services. 

As South Sudan works to modernize its financial ecosystem, the collaboration between MTN and the Finance Ministry establishes a working framework to overcome cash economy limitations while creating new opportunities for digital entrepreneurship and economic participation across the world's youngest nation.

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye