MTN MoMo and Next Travel launch digital travel booking platform

What the report says

The Independent Uganda reports that MTN Mobile Money (U) Limited and Next Travel have introduced Travel by MoMo, a digital flight-booking service aimed at Ugandan customers. The platform was launched in Kampala on July 21 and is accessible through the MTN MoMo app, allowing users to look up flights, compare options and pay using MTN Mobile Money.

According to the publisher, the service displays fares in Uganda shillings and is intended to reduce hurdles often faced by travellers booking international flights, including reliance on multiple websites or payment methods such as credit cards. MTN MoMo Managing Director Phase Lubega said at the launch that the product was built around common challenges for Ugandan travellers, while Chief Product Officer Jemima Kariuki framed it as a way to broaden access for people who use mobile money.

Next Travel, described in the report as a leading Ugandan travel management company, powers the platform and will provide local travel support. Its Managing Director, Jonathan Martin Kyeyo, said the partnership is meant to give customers more choice and confidence when booking flights. The system also uses technology from Amadeus, a global travel technology provider, to connect users to real-time airline inventory and flight comparisons.

The development matters because it extends mobile money beyond payments into travel services, linking a widely used local payment channel with international flight booking. The platform is positioned for business travellers, traders, professionals, students, families and other customers seeking a simpler way to arrange air travel.