# Uganda — payment codes and schemes

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/UG
> extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

## Summary

- **MoMoPay QR** MTN Uganda merchant payments
- **Airtel Money Pay** Scan To Pay technology
- **UNIS** Uganda National Interbank Settlement
- **NPS Act 2020** interoperability mandate
- **E-Payments Strategy** 2021-2026

## Banking landscape

### Central Bank
- **Name:** Bank of Uganda (BoU)
- **Website:** https://www.bou.or.ug/
- **Role:** Monetary policy, NPS oversight

### Major Banks (2024)

| Rank | Bank Name | Type | Digital Platform |
|------|-----------|------|------------------|
| 1 | Stanbic Bank Uganda | Regional | Stanbic App |
| 2 | Standard Chartered | International | SC Mobile |
| 3 | Centenary Bank | Local | CenteApp |
| 4 | DFCU Bank | Local | DFCU Mobile |
| 5 | Equity Bank Uganda | Regional | Equity App |

### Market Structure
- **MTN MoMo:** Market leader
- **Airtel Money:** Major competitor
- **Interoperability:** NPS Act mandate
- **UNIS:** High-value settlement

---

## Payment infrastructure

### National Payment Systems

| System | Operator | Type | Status |
|--------|----------|------|--------|
| UNIS | Bank of Uganda | RTGS | Active |
| MoMoPay | MTN Uganda | Mobile QR | Active |
| Airtel Money Pay | Airtel | Mobile QR | Active |
| EasyPay | Aggregator | Multi-wallet | Active |

### Uganda National Interbank Settlement (UNIS)
- High value transactions
- Time-critical payments
- Real-time transmission
- Inter-institution transfers

### National Payment Systems Act 2020
- Enacted May 2020
- Gazetted September 2020
- Interoperability requirement
- Licensing framework

---

## QR code standards

### MoMoPay QR

| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| **Provider** | MTN Uganda |
| **Feature** | Scan and pay |
| **Merchant Code** | 6-digit |
| **Fee** | 1-2% per transaction |

### MoMoPay Features
- QR code scanning
- 6-digit merchant code displayed
- USSD alternative (*165*3#)
- 1% individual merchants
- 2% business merchants

### Airtel Money Pay QR

| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| **Provider** | Airtel Uganda |
| **Feature** | Scan To Pay |
| **Wallet Limit** | UGX 300M |
| **USSD** | *185*9# |

### Airtel Money Pay Features
- Scan To Pay technology
- My Airtel App integration
- Merchant details display
- Amount and PIN entry
- USSD backup option

---

## Mobile payment apps

| App | Provider | QR | Features |
|-----|----------|-------|----------|
| MoMo | MTN Uganda | Yes | MoMoPay |
| My Airtel | Airtel | Yes | Scan To Pay |
| EasyPay | Aggregator | Yes | Multi-wallet |

### Merchant Adoption
- Retail shops
- Boutiques
- Churches and mosques
- NGOs
- Political organizations
- All business types

### Merchant Benefits
- No public phone number sharing
- Easy payment collection
- Efficient transactions
- 1-2% fee structure

---

## Schemes

| Scheme | Type | Symbology | Adoption | Technical standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [MoMoPay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/UG/momopay) | Mobile QR | App/USSD | Active | — |
| [Airtel Pay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/UG/airtel-pay) | Mobile QR | App | Active | — |
| [UNIS](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/UG/unis) | RTGS | Interbank | Active | — |

## Sources

- [MTN Uganda - MoMoPay](https://www.mtn.co.ug/helppersonal/momopay/)
- [MTN Uganda - Tariffs](https://www.mtn.co.ug/tariffs/mobile-money-tariffs/)
- [Google Play - MoMo](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mtnft.momo.consumer)
- [Nymy Net - Merchant Codes](https://nymynet.com/how-to-get-a-merchant-code-in-uganda-for-airtel-money-pay-and-mtn-momopay/)
- [EasyPay - API](https://www.easypay.co.ug/kb/knowledge-base/open-mobile-money-api-uganda-mtn-airtel-africell-utl-m-sente/)
- [Bank of Uganda - NPS](https://www.bou.or.ug/bouwebsite/PaymentSystems/NPS.html)
- [ENS Africa - NPS Act](https://www.ensafrica.com/news/detail/3330/key-features-of-ugandas-national-payment-syst)
- [ULII - NPS Act](https://ulii.org/en/akn/ug/act/2020/15/eng@2020-09-04)

## Full country report

[UG-uganda.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/UG)