# MoMoPay QR

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/momopay-qr
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-06
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [MoMoPay — MTN Uganda](https://www.mtn.co.ug/momo/pay-with-momo/)

## Overview

**MoMoPay QR** is **MTN MoMo's merchant-payment + Scan-to-Pay product**, deployed across MTN's pan-African mobile-money markets including **Uganda + Benin** with continuing expansion <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [Uganda report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/UG)</sup>. The MoMoPay product enables **customers to make fast, secure payments at supermarkets, shops, restaurants, fuel stations + many other locations** by **scanning QR codes printed at merchant premises via the MyMTN App**. MTN Uganda's **"Scan to Pay" QR-code feature** added to MoMoPay extends the original USSD-based merchant-code-payment model (dial *165*3#) with smartphone-app-based QR-scan-to-pay.

The structural distinction: MoMoPay represents **MTN MoMo's merchant-payment + QR-enhancement** within the pan-African MTN Group MoMo platform (72.5M MTN MoMo customers across 14 African markets). **Zero customer fees at checkout** + **1% individual-merchant fee / 2% business-merchant fee** + **immediate SMS confirmation to both parties** + **merchant cash-out options (supplier-payments, salaries, bank transfers, MoMo-agent or ATM physical cash)** make MoMoPay's design comprehensive for SME-merchant adoption. **MTN MoMo's pan-African MoMoPay rollout** parallels Airtel Money Pay's Uganda + multi-country deployment — defining **Africa's MNO-led merchant-QR-payment competitive landscape**. Uganda specifically + Benin + many other MTN markets benefit from the QR enhancement to legacy USSD-merchant-code infrastructure.

## History

**Background — MTN MoMo context** <sup>[2][2]</sup>:
- **MTN Group** — major pan-African MNO.
- **MTN MoMo** — 72.5M customers across 14 markets.
- Pre-MoMoPay: USSD-based MoMo Pay merchant codes.

**MTN MoMo Pay (USSD merchant codes)** <sup>[3][3]</sup>:
- Dial *165*3# + enter merchant code.

**MoMoPay app + QR Scan-to-Pay feature launch** <sup>[1][1]</sup>:
- MyMTN App QR-scan-to-pay extension.

**Pan-African rollout** <sup>[2][2]</sup>:
- Uganda + Benin + other MTN markets.

## Technical specification

MoMoPay QR is **MTN MoMo merchant-payment product with USSD + QR Scan-to-Pay** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>:

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Operator** | **MTN MoMo** (per-country subsidiary) |
| **Markets** | Uganda + Benin + other MTN MoMo markets |
| **Currency** | Per-country (UGX, XOF, etc.) |
| **Channels** | **USSD (*165*3#) + MyMTN App + QR Scan-to-Pay** |
| **Customer fee** | **Zero** |
| **Merchant fee** | **1% individual, 2% business** |
| **Confirmation** | Immediate SMS to both customer + merchant |
| **Merchant payout options** | Supplier-payments, salary-payments, bank transfers, MoMo-agent or ATM physical cash |

**QR Scan-to-Pay UX flow** <sup>[1][1]</sup>:
- Customer opens MyMTN App.
- Selects MTN MoMoPay.
- Scans QR code at merchant.
- Enters amount.
- Confirms + completes transaction.

## Use cases

**Merchant QR payments** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: Cardinal — Supermarkets, shops, restaurants, fuel stations.

**USSD merchant-code payment** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: Legacy via *165*3#.

**Zero-customer-fee merchant payments** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: Adoption-driver.

**Merchant cash-out to supplier-payments + salaries + bank transfers** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: B2B + payroll.

**SME-merchant adoption** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: 1% merchant fee accessible.

## Implementations & ecosystem

**Operator**: **MTN MoMo** per-country subsidiaries.

**Markets**: Uganda, Benin, plus other MTN MoMo markets (Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Rwanda, Zambia, etc.).

**Companion product**: Airtel Money Pay (competing MNO).

**Country-specific regulators**: Per-country central banks.

## Fun facts

- **MTN MoMo 72.5M customers across 14 markets**: Pan-African scale.
- **Zero customer fees**: Adoption-friendly pricing.
- **1% individual / 2% business merchant fee**: SME-accessible.
- **USSD heritage** (*165*3# merchant codes) + smartphone-app QR-scan upgrade.
- **Immediate SMS confirmation**: Both parties notified.
- **Merchant cash-out flexibility**: Supplier-payments, salaries, bank, ATM, MoMo-agent.
- **MyMTN App QR-scan-to-pay UX**: Standard smartphone-QR-payment UX.
- **Pan-MTN markets**: Uganda + Benin + other MTN MoMo markets.

## Comparison

| Feature | MoMoPay QR (MTN — multi-country) | [Airtel Money Pay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/airtel-money-pay) (Airtel UG) | M-Pesa Lipa Na M-Pesa (KE) | [Orange Money QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/orange-money-qr) (Orange multi-country) | [Wave QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/wave-qr) (WAEMU disruptor) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | MTN MoMo subsidiaries | Airtel Africa subsidiaries | Safaricom | Orange Group | Wave (independent fintech) |
| Type | **MNO merchant QR + USSD** | MNO merchant QR | MNO merchant QR | MNO merchant QR | Independent fintech QR + flat-fee |
| Customer fee | **Zero** | Zero | Free | Variable | Free (P2P) |
| Merchant fee | **1% indiv / 2% business** | Tiered | Tiered | Tiered | 1% |

## Status

**Active, expanding across MTN markets** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>:
- **MTN MoMo per-country subsidiaries**.
- **USSD + MyMTN App + QR Scan-to-Pay multi-channel**.
- **Zero customer fees + 1% / 2% merchant fees**.
- **Multi-country deployment (UG, BJ + others)**.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.mtn.co.ug/momo/pay-with-momo/ "MoMoPay — MTN Uganda"
[2]: https://www.dignited.com/35164/mtn-uganda-adds-scan-to-pay-qr-codes-to-momopay-product/ "MTN Uganda adds Scan to Pay QR — Dignited"
[3]: https://www.dignited.com/27722/momopay-lets-you-pay-for-goods-and-services-using-mtn-mobile-money-with-zero-charges/ "MoMoPay zero-charges — Dignited"
[momo-qr]: https://momo.mtn.com/qr-code/ "How to pay with QR Code — MoMo"

- [1] [MoMoPay — MTN Uganda][1]
- [2] [MTN Uganda Scan to Pay — Dignited][2]
- [3] [MoMoPay zero-charges — Dignited][3]
- [momo-qr] [How to pay with QR Code — MoMo][momo-qr]
- <sup>[Uganda report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/UG)</sup> `reports/countries/UG-uganda.md`

## Deployments

Found in the following country reports (grep across `reports/countries/`):

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