Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana//-The Vice-Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Professor Mohammed Muniru Iddrisu, has hailed MobileMoney Fintech LTD (MMFL) for creating a platform that promotes innovation.
He gave this commendation when the CEO of MMFL, Shaibu Haruna, led some executives and MoMo Fintech Lab participants to engage with the authorities of the UDS as part of the Northern Zone Bootcamp, which concluded on Friday, 23, October 2026.
Prof Iddrisu reaffirmed his commitment to encouraging students to participate in competitions of this nature to test their knowledge, creativity and potential.
During a courtesy visit, the Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf John, also commended MMFL’s contribution to advancing financial inclusion, but expressed concern about loan defaults and the potential risks they pose to the business.
He welcomed the MoMo Fintech Lab initiative and pledged his support.
The MoMo Fintech Lab Zonal Pitch Competition took place at the Twin Oval Auditorium, UDS Campus, Tamale, bringing the Northern Zone bootcamp to an exciting close.
This followed a competitive pitch session involving 12 teams, four outstanding teams — MoMo Covert, PayitBetta, MoMoneyo and Adaashi — were selected to advance to the National Mentorship Lab, where they will receive further guidance to refine and strengthen their solutions.
The National Journey
The 2026 MoMo Fintech Lab has moved into its zonal bootcamp and hackathon pitch phase, bringing Ghana’s next generation of fintech innovators closer to turning bold ideas into market-ready solutions in the country and beyond.
The national journey of the competition began in Tamale from October 19 to 23, and continues in Kumasi from October 26 to 30, and concludes in Accra from November 2 to 6, 2026.
At each stop, shortlisted innovators will receive hands-on training and mentorship, refine their solutions and pitch before expert panels, according to senior executives of MMFL.
The programme will culminate in a National Demo Day on December 3, 2026, where finalists will showcase their solutions and compete for cash awards of up to GHS100,000, digital devices and further support to advance their innovations.
More than 1,700 entries were received from across Ghana, signalling strong national interest in practical fintech solutions that can solve everyday challenges, widen financial access and accelerate the country’s digital economy.
\Distinct Innovation Priorities
Entries reveal distinct innovation priorities across Ghana. In the Northern Zone, agriculture-focused fintech ideas lead the field, with solutions aimed at supporting farmers, strengthening value chains and expanding access to financial services.
The Middle Zone is dominated by SME and merchant solutions designed to improve business operations, enable digital payments and drive growth.
In the Southern Zone, payment innovations stand out, with a focus on making digital transactions simpler, faster and more accessible.
Through the bootcamps, participants will sharpen their ideas, build prototypes and strengthen their business models. Twelve innovators will advance from the zonal hackathons and pitch competitions to the next stage of the programme.
The Chief Executive Officer of MobileMoney Fintech LTD, Shaibu Haruna, said the scale and diversity of the response underscores the depth of Ghana’s innovation potential:
“More than 1,700 entries send a powerful message: Ghana has the talent and ambition to build solutions for its most pressing challenges.
From agriculture in the North and SME growth in the Middle Belt to payment innovation in the South, these ideas reflect the realities of our economy. Our goal is to help innovators turn that promise into scalable solutions that create meaningful impact.”
Beyond The Competition
Beyond the competition, the MoMo Fintech Lab will equip participants with technical, leadership and commercial skills, while connecting them with mentors and industry players who can help move promising solutions from concept to scale.
Instructively, the 2026 MoMo Fintech Lab is being organised in partnership with the Bank of Ghana. The MoMo Fintech Lab is also supported by GCB Bank, Hubtel, appsNmobile, Zenith Bank, First National Bank, Blue Penguin, Korba, Fidelity Bank, Afrifanom (VaMiJo) and JUMO.
