The story of digital money in Africa is a long and fascinating one. You’re missing the point of the only example you hear about is MPesa. Pioneers like Dare Okoudjou and MTN have been building last mile mobile money infrastructure brick by brick, at scale. If you touch anything digital payments related in Africa (cards, ecommerce, remittances, on/off ramps etc.), you’re standing on the shoulders of giants 🌍
In 2005, Dare Okoudjou was inspired by a Financial Times article about MTN and Standard Bank's launch of MTN Banking, one of the world's first mobile banking applications. This ignited his passion for mobile financial services, prompting him to join MTN Group’s strategy team in Johannesburg in 2006. At that time, MTN was focused on its traditional airtime business, leading to skepticism about MoMo from MTN’s financial viability. Despite this, Dare and his team remained committed, believing in its transformative potential for Africa. The success of Mobile Money exemplifies MTN's commitment to innovation and social impact, demonstrating how a simple idea can empower individuals, drive economic growth, and reduce poverty. Today, Dare is the CEO of Onafriq, a company that connects various mobile money platforms across Africa. Read more here https://bit.ly/4fkAwqF and watch him 👇 as he reflects on his journey with MTN and MoMo. #30YearsofMTN #DoingGoodTogether #JustMoMoit
Aspiring startup historian. Investor. Data Nerd.
17hDare Okoudjou well deserved recognition!!! Long journey but you're truly one of the great pioneers who've paved the way for the current generation of African entrepreneurs.