This is primarily in response to Uganda’s National Payment Systems Act 2020 and is an important part of the MTN Group’s strategy to enhance value from its fast-expanding financial technology services.

The National Payment Systems Act 2020 explicitly requires mobile money operators to establish distinct legal entities for their financial services. 

The Act states, “A payment service provider, other than an entity solely established to issue electronic money, a financial institution or microfinance deposit taking institution, that intends to issue electronic money shall establish a subsidiary legal entity for that purpose.” (Section 48(1)). 

Again, it prevents telecom operators from using airtime as a substitute for money, clarifying that “An electronic money issuer shall not— (a) count or issue airtime as electronic money; or (b) use airtime for permissible transactions.” (Section 55(2)). 

These stipulations necessitate a clear demarcation between mobile money and traditional telecom services.

This restructuring also aligns with the “Ambition 2025” strategy of the Johannesburg-listed MTN Group. 

The group is creating standalone fintech entities across its key African markets, including Ghana and Nigeria, to unlock new value, attract investors, and ensure solid regulatory adherence. 

For instance, MTN Ghana launched “New FinCo” in May 2025, and MTN Nigeria established MoMo PSB under a Payment Service Bank licence.

The proposed transaction will see MTN Mobile Money Uganda transferred to a new, independent entity. This new company will be owned by MTN Group Fintech Holdings B.V. and a trust established to represent the interests of MTN Uganda’s minority shareholders. 

The separation aims to enable both the mobile money and telecommunications businesses to pursue their respective growth paths independently within the East African market.

MTN MoMo already holds a strong footprint, particularly across West and Central Africa, with approximately 14 million active subscribers in Uganda alone. 

The mobile money services ascertained commendable growth in the first quarter of 2025, with revenues increasing by 18.4% to reach $70.8 million (Ush 255.6 billion). This financial performance stresses mobile money’s growing significance as a revenue driver, at times even surpassing traditional telecoms revenues in key regions.

The formal approval for this separation will be sought from shareholders at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) scheduled for 2nd July 2025. This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid format, allowing for both physical and electronic participation. 

If approved, the transaction will result in MTN MoMo ceasing to operate as a direct subsidiary of MTN Uganda. 

Even with this internal restructuring, MTN Uganda’s listing on the Uganda Securities Exchange, where it has been an actively traded stock since its 2021 initial public offering, will not be affected. 

The transaction is subject to final regulatory and shareholder approvals.

The post MTN Uganda Moves to Establish Independent Fintech Arm, Seeks Shareholder Approval appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

These regulated and government-mandated programmes are often seen as a burden—a tick-the-box exercise required to avoid hefty fines or, worse, the loss of operating licences.

However, regulatory compliance is more than just following rules; it offers significant value not only to the impacted company but also to the broader economy.

Unfortunately, this is not the view of most South African organisations, which still fail to treat compliance as a strategic initiative that can drive efficiency, improve customer trust, and enhance long-term performance.

The Challenge: Compliance vs. Adoption

For many companies, regulatory compliance is little more than an obligatory process. Programmes are implemented to meet the bare minimum requirements, and once they go live, they’re often forgotten. This approach misses the point entirely.

Keenan Crouch, a senior change management consultant at Change Logic, highlights his experience with regulatory projects.

He says,

“Historically, compliance initiatives often faced a post-go-live ownership vacuum, leading to missed opportunities for maximising benefits. While organisations met basic requirements such as staff training, client communication, and KPI integration, the full potential of these initiatives was frequently unrealised.”

“This ‘tick-the-box’ approach often resulted in superficial compliance, excessive reliance on consultants in a business-as-usual setting, and a failure to fully realise the intended benefits. Despite technical adherence to regulations, a lack of internal ownership and adoption hindered the effective implementation and ongoing management of compliance initiatives,” adds Crouch.

The Hidden Value of Regulatory Programmes

The truth is that regulatory programmes can offer significant value if adopted properly. Compliance is not just about avoiding fines—it can drive operational efficiencies, reduce technical debt, and even improve customer satisfaction. In some cases, regulatory requirements can force companies to implement long-overdue client-beneficial changes.

“Let’s use the example of one of the major banks we work with which approached a regulatory requirement extremely positively. For the first time in their history, they achieved a single view of the customer thanks to a government-driven regulatory requirement. This means they can now see a complete picture of a client — as an individual, a trustee, and a business owner. It’s something the bank wanted to do for years, but it only happened as the regulation forced them to address issues associated with integration across multiple platforms,” states Crouch.

These programmes can bring immense benefits across multiple business units, reducing manual processes and bottlenecks. “Yes, there may be some disruption upfront. But in the long term, if you manage the change properly, you’re getting rid of inefficiencies,” Crouch adds.

The Problem with the Tick-the-Box Mentality

The root of the problem often lies in how large firms approach change management. Anton Hingeston, a director at Change Logic, explains, “There’s this statistic that 97% of projects fail because they don’t use change management. So now, all projects have change management, but it’s just another box to tick. It becomes a checklist of newsletters, stakeholder templates, and other materials, it doesn’t drive real adoption and adds no value.”

The real problem is this templated “tick-the-box” approach. As Hingeston puts it, “We’re tired of fixing the mistakes of big firms who don’t add real value. Regulatory programmes should be treated like strategic projects that drive positive and measurable change, not just a drop down on a spreadsheet.”

Culture and Leadership: The Keys to Ownership

One of the biggest barriers to the proper adoption of compliance initiatives is corporate culture. Different organisations have different leadership styles, which impact how regulations are implemented.

Hingeston explains, “Some companies have a fear-driven culture, where no one makes a move without the CEO’s approval. Others are more relaxed, allowing managers to make decisions. Both types of culture present challenges.”

The key to overcoming these challenges is ownership. “If you’re driving ownership as the core focus, you can deliver change,” Hingeston says. “But if you rely on templates, you’ll keep running into problems. Ownership creates the right tools to drive change, while templates just set you up for failure.”

The Role of Change Management

According to both, the ideal approach to regulatory compliance centres around fostering participation, ownership, and confidence within organisations.

“The trick is to remove the pain associated with these projects, which translates to focusing on reducing disruption and getting the company back to peak performance with the regulation in place,” Hingeston explains.

A key part of this process is executive alignment. “In our own experience, we spend a lot of time addressing ‘false consensus’ where people nod along without really buying in. Getting true commitment from the executive team is critical,” says Hingeston.

In addition to alignment, mapping out user journeys well in advance to ensure that regulatory programmes are not implemented at the last minute is essential. “We’re trying to eliminate ‘just-in-time compliance’,” Crouch explains. “We map out how to get the client ready far ahead of time to avoid a rush just before the regulation goes live. This also helps minimise the frustration so many companies feel when tackling these projects.”

Moving Beyond Templates to True Adoption

Ultimately, regulatory programmes can only deliver value if they’re adopted, not just implemented. “Get rid of the templates and focus on adoption,” Crouch says.

Hingeston echoes this sentiment,

“We’ve moved beyond ticking boxes. It’s about ensuring organisations adopt compliance and embrace change, whether it’s regulatory compliance, an SAP implementation, or a merger. It comes back to applying change management that works and that centres on creating a more efficient, high-performing organisation by the time you go live.”

Regulatory programmes play a vital role in maintaining the health and stability of the economy. They ensure that companies operate with transparency, ethical standards, and adequate controls, which in turn protects consumers, prevents financial malpractices, and promotes long-term economic growth.

Finally, regulatory programmes are much more than compliance. They’re an opportunity to drive lasting, meaningful change that benefits both the business and its customers.

By treating these programmes as strategic initiatives, organisations can unlock their true potential and create a culture of ownership and adoption.

The post Regulatory Programmes: Much More Than Compliance—Driving Real Value and Adoption appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The increasing reliance on AI, the demand for robust data security, and the need for scalable and flexible solutions are just a few of the critical issues that require careful consideration.

As we continue to progress in this AI-driven world, it is imperative to address these challenges and understand the questions that should concern both software vendors and their clients.

Some of the challenges in risk enterprise management that software vendors and practitioners are currently facing include:

1. Data privacy and security:

Ensuring that sensitive business and financial data is protected from potential breaches and cyber-attacks.

2. Integration of AI and automation:

Leveraging artificial intelligence and automation tools to improve risk assessment and decision-making processes within enterprise management systems.

3. Regulatory compliance:

Adhering to stringent industry regulations and standards while also staying ahead of any potential changes or updates.

4. Scalability and flexibility:

Developing software solutions that can accommodate the changing needs and demands of businesses as they grow and evolve.

5. User-friendly interfaces:

Creating intuitive and easy-to-use interfaces that make it simple for clients to navigate and utilize risk enterprise management software effectively.

6. Customization and personalization:

Offering customizable solutions that can be tailored to the specific needs and requirements of individual businesses.

Some of the questions that should concern software vendors and their clients today include:

1. How can AI and automation be effectively integrated into risk enterprise management software to improve decision-making and streamline processes?

2. What measures are in place to ensure the security and privacy of sensitive data within the software solution?

3. How does the software address the evolving landscape of regulatory compliance and adapt to any changes in industry standards?

4. What level of scalability and flexibility does the software offer, and how does it accommodate the growth and development of businesses over time?

5. What steps have been taken to ensure that the user interface is intuitive and user-friendly for clients to use effectively?

6. How customizable and personalized are the risk enterprise management solutions, and how can they be tailored to the specific needs of individual businesses?

As this list is growing, permit me to expand some points with examples:

1. Data privacy and security: In today’s digital age, the protection of sensitive business and financial data is crucial. For example, software vendors need to implement advanced encryption protocols and access controls to safeguard data from potential breaches and cyber-attacks.

They also need to comply with regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the healthcare industry.

2. Integration of AI and automation: Software vendors are increasingly focused on integrating artificial intelligence and automation into risk enterprise management systems to improve risk assessment and decision-making processes.

For example, AI algorithms can be used to analyze large datasets to identify patterns and trends, while automation can streamline routine tasks such as data entry and report generation.

3. Regulatory compliance: The software must adhere to stringent industry regulations and standards. For instance, in the financial sector, software vendors need to ensure compliance with regulations such as the Dodd-Frank Act or the Basel III framework.

They also need to keep their systems updated to accommodate any changes in regulations, making it crucial to offer regular updates and support services.

4. Scalability and flexibility: As businesses grow and evolve, they require software solutions that can scale with their needs.

For example, a risk enterprise management system should be able to handle an increase in the volume of data and transactions as a company expands, without sacrificing performance.

5. User-friendly interfaces: The software should offer an intuitive and easy-to-use interface for clients. For example, a clean and visually appealing dashboard with customizable widgets and interactive charts can make it easier for users to navigate through complex data and make informed decisions based on risk analysis.

6. Customization and personalization: The software should be flexible enough to be tailored to the specific needs and requirements of individual businesses.

For example, a software vendor may offer different modules or add-on features that can be customized to meet the unique risk management needs of clients in different industries or with specific risk profiles.

In conclusion, as the realms of business, technology, and risk management continue to intertwine, the challenges facing software vendors and their clients are only likely to increase.

It is through a keen understanding of data security, regulatory compliance, AI integration, and user-centric design that software vendors can shape solutions that meet the ever-evolving needs of their clients.

By addressing these challenges head-on and adopting a forward-thinking approach, software vendors can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of risk enterprise management in this AI-driven world.

The Writer, Prof. Ojo Emmanuel Ademola is the first Nigerian Professor of Cyber Security and Information Technology Management, and the first Professor of African descent to be awarded a Chartered Manager Status.

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