About one-million small businesses in Côte d’Ivoire and Uganda have digitised their operations, increased the use of digital financial services and accessed digital marketplaces through the MoMo Coach chatbot, which aims to enhance the resilience and growth of small businesses by providing essential digital skills.

This programme is part of payment company Mastercard Centre for Inclusive Growth's global Mastercard Strive initiative and is supported through a partnership between Mastercard, mobile network subsidiary MTN Group Fintech and education technology company Arifu.

It is one of the ways Mastercard Strive has disseminated chatbot-ready business-building content for small businesses in the region, which is currently also available in Kenya and Nigeria, the company says.

The programme equips small businesses with digital skills, thereby enabling them to adopt digital tools, access capital and engage more effectively in digital marketplaces.

“Small businesses are vital to Africa’s growth and create opportunities for a more resilient and inclusive regional economy. Equipping almost one-million small business owners with the digital skills and knowledge is essential [to enable] them to thrive in an increasingly digital economy and sets them up for success,” says Mastercard Centre for Inclusive Growth Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa social impact senior VP Subhashini Chandran.

The MoMo Coach solution, which is powered by Arifu’s Grasp platform, uses mobile messaging to deliver micro-learning experiences.

It is accessible across multiple channels, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, SMS and MoMo. This gives small business owners and entrepreneurs flexibility in accessing practical, actionable tips to unlock growth opportunities in the digital economy, Mastercard says.

“Empowering small businesses with digital skills is key to driving inclusive growth in Africa. Through MoMo Coach, we are unlocking opportunities for entrepreneurs to thrive in the digital economy, strengthening communities, and shaping the future of business across the continent,” says MTN Group Fintech CEO Serigne Dioum.

Further, the programme has been rolled out in Côte d'Ivoire and Uganda, reaching more than 930 000 MTN customers, merchants and agents, with more than 75 000 small business owners accessing free digital courses and more than 45 000 actively engaging with MoMo Coach.

Courses include How to Start Your Business, Money Management and Grow and Secure Your Business.

The courses are based on insights derived from MoMo merchants and agents, and address key challenges, such as affordability and access to relevant business knowledge, thereby enabling small business owners to navigate the digital landscape.

The programme aligns with Mastercard Strive's broader goal of reaching 18-million small businesses around the world and enabling them to go digital, get capital and access networks and know-how.

Small businesses in sub-Saharan Africa, especially those impacted by the pandemic, have faced significant barriers in adopting digital tools. By December 2022, only 27.65% of businesses in sub-Saharan Africa had adopted digital tools to enhance their efficiency, which is a slight improvement from 19.44% in August 2020.

A lack of relevant skills continues to limit their growth and access to essential financial services. MoMo Coach addresses these gaps by providing free, accessible upskilling content via popular messaging platforms.