The Chief Executive Officer of MobileMoney Limited, Shaibu Haruna, says the company’s separation from MTN Ghana is more than a regulatory requirement; it represents a major opportunity to drive innovation and expand financial services for millions of Ghanaians.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on April 13, Mr Haruna described the transition as a defining moment for the fintech firm, noting that it positions the company to deliver more impactful digital financial solutions.

“This is a very important milestone for us… it allows us as a fintech to begin to drive innovation and also drive innovation at scale, which goes to the benefit of our customers,” he said.

His remarks follow MobileMoney Fintech Ltd’s official separation from MTN Ghana, completed on March 31, 2026, in line with Ghana’s Payment Systems and Services Act. The law requires electronic money issuers to operate independently from telecom companies to strengthen governance and enhance consumer protection.

Mr Haruna explained that while compliance with the law was a key factor behind the separation, the move also creates new opportunities for growth and partnerships across the digital finance ecosystem.

“The very first one is obviously compliance… The second part of it is also the part that even excites me more,” he said, adding that the new structure enables the company to deepen collaboration with industry players and improve service delivery.

He noted that the transition followed nearly five years of engagement with regulators, including the Bank of Ghana, the Ghana Stock Exchange, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other stakeholders.

According to him, the process was carefully managed to ensure full regulatory compliance while protecting shareholder interests.

Under the new structure, MobileMoney Fintech Ltd is owned 70 per cent by MTN Dutch Holdings and 30 per cent by the MTN Ghana Fintech Trust, meeting the country’s local ownership requirements. Existing MTN Ghana shareholders retain an economic interest through the trust arrangement, which is expected to support a future listing on the Ghana Stock Exchange.

Operationally, the separation allows the fintech business to focus exclusively on services such as mobile money, lending, savings, insurance and investments, without being tied to traditional telecom operations.

Mr Haruna disclosed that the company is already introducing new initiatives aimed at transforming how Ghanaians access financial services, including a “responsible borrowing” campaign and expanded digital loan products.

“We believe… we need to be able to deliver services that enrich the lives of every Ghanaian… and move away from being a prepaid economy to a credit economy,” he said.

He added that the company is also scaling up savings and investment offerings on the MoMo platform, including group savings schemes and access to stocks listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange.

“Saving and investment are key to the prosperity of a nation,” he noted.

Despite the structural changes, customers are expected to experience uninterrupted services, as the MoMo brand, app and USSD channels remain unchanged.

The separation forms part of the broader “Ambition 2025” strategy by the MTN Group to unlock the value of its fintech operations across Africa, with Ghana identified as a key market in the transformation.

Mr Haruna emphasised that the long-term goal is to make mobile money an essential part of everyday life.

“Mobile money has evolved beyond just being a means of paying for goods and services to one that should be a part of our daily lives as Ghanaians — and that is what we are seeking to achieve,” he said.