MTN Nigeria, through its MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB), has taken its 21 Days of Yellow Care campaign to Ikotun Market in Lagos, offering traders financial literacy and incentives to adopt digital payment solutions.

The initiative, which is part of MTN’s annual corporate social responsibility programme, aims to empower market men and women with knowledge on savings, budgeting, and financial planning, while encouraging them to open and upgrade MoMo wallets for seamless financial transactions.

“This is not just a campaign, it’s about equipping our market people with tools to manage their money better.

“We are helping them understand the importance of saving, planning and using digital channels to grow their businesses. That’s why we’re encouraging them to upgrade their wallets and offering POS devices to those who need them,” Regional Sales Manager for MoMo PSB Lagos, OlaOluwa Okeshola said.

To incentivize participation, 50 selected traders who carry out at least five MoMo transactions daily for a week will receive free solar-powered fans. “It’s not about volume but consistency. Five transactions a day, and they qualify,” Okeshola added.

The outreach also aims to build long-term trust with traders. Senior Lead for Sales and Distribution in Ikotun, Adeyemi Adeoye, emphasised the programme’s continuity and positive reception.

“This is something we’ve done annually for over a decade. The engagement and feedback have always been encouraging. It shows people are seeing value,” he noted.

Project Coordinator for Network Enterprise Services, Babatunde Shinyobola, said this year’s focus on financial education aligned with the broader goal of sustainable economic empowerment. “We’re not just giving out tools; we are changing mindsets. From market sensitisation to school donations—solar inverters, routers, laptops—we are pushing for impact across all 36 states,” he said.

For traders such as Kolawole Sekina Anike, who sells spices in the market, the benefits are already tangible.

She said: “I never knew MoMo worked like other online banks. I now use their umbrella for my stall, and I want to become one of their agents.”

MTN is doing a good job, but they really need to improve their network. That’s the only challenge we face in the market.”

Also, Samuel Ajibade, who sells ladies’ clothing and shoes in the market, commended the initiative, stating: “This kind of programme makes a big difference. Many of us don’t know how to separate our business money from daily spending. Now I understand budgeting better and I’m opening a MoMo account today. If they can fix the network issues too, it’ll help even more.”

MoMo officials say steps have been taken to address gaps. MoMo Retail Developer at Ikotun market Akinwunmi Boluwaji Amos, acknowledged previous shortcomings but assured traders that this year would be different. “We’ve collected their details and we’re committed to fulfilling all promises made—starting with delivering the solar fans next week.

“If MoMo can address the key challenges traders face, especially the persistent network issues inside the market; it would make a big difference. Many of them struggle with poor connectivity. If MoMo can improve its network performance, I believe it will significantly boost usage and impact in Ikotun Market,” he said.