For two decades, Letshego Uganda has been more than a lender; it has been a partner in possibility. Since its entry in 2005, the institution has grown from a niche credit provider for public servants into one of the country’s leading inclusive finance players, guided by a single mission: to improve lives through access to affordable, appropriate financial solutions.
Its impact is best told through people. The teacher who never missed a term’s fees. The nurse who scaled a side business into stability. The vendor who grew her stall into a shop. The entrepreneur who invested in equipment to expand. Each story echoes the institution’s belief that financial inclusion is not a statistic, but a lived transformation.
“From day one, our purpose has been simple: to provide solutions for those left behind by traditional finance. That mission has never changed, even as we’ve evolved in scale and innovation,” says Giles Germany Aijukwe, CEO of Letshego Uganda.
From Public Servants to Everyday Entrepreneurs:
When Letshego arrived, financial inclusion in Uganda was nascent. Rural populations remained excluded, and formal lending was largely the preserve of urban elites. Letshego’s entry provided structured, affordable credit to public sector workers like teachers, nurses, police officers, creating a ripple effect across households.
Two decades later, that mandate has broadened. Today, Letshego serves micro and small enterprises, rural households, and digital-first consumers. Through agent banking, mobile lending, and partnerships, it has reframed access to finance as not a privilege but a right.
Innovation as a Bridge:
If there is one theme that explains Letshego’s resilience, it is innovation, not as a buzzword, but as a conduit. “From the early days of paper-based loan books to today’s app-driven ecosystems, innovation has been the thread knitting customers to opportunity. Between 2022 and 2025, digital adoption rose 35%. This is more than technological uptake; it is trust, convenience, and customer behavior shifting in real time. Innovation here is not simply about scale, it is the bridge that has connected informal vendors, rural farmers, and urban youth to tools once out of reach,” Aijukwe remarked.
Inclusion Beyond Numbers:
For Letshego, inclusion is personal. 44% of its customers are women; market vendors, farmers, and traders whose livelihoods have found stability. Field agents extend services to rural areas, cutting the friction of distance and bureaucracy.
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“Inclusion is not about scale alone – it’s about impact. Every loan is a story of potential unlocked,” Aijukwe reflects.
Shared Value for Communities:
Beyond credit, Letshego has tied its fortunes to the communities it serves. Its Super Micro Loan, in partnership with Financial Sector Deepening Uganda (FSDU), has reached over 1,500 women, youth, persons with disabilities, and refugees under 35years. Joint initiatives with the Uganda Police have distributed over 45,000 reflector jackets to improve road safety. From bursaries for vulnerable youth to poultry income projects, Letshego’s footprint demonstrates that when communities thrive, business follows.
As a member of the Letshego Group, headquartered in Botswana and spanning 11 African markets, Letshego Uganda benefits from both scale and local agility. It borrows expertise from a multinational legacy while tailoring products to Uganda’s distinct financial landscape.
Lessons in Resilience:
The path has not been without setbacks. Early challenges with non-performing loans underscored the risks of lending without robust credit assessment. Economic downturns and the COVID-19 pandemic further tested resilience. Yet each challenge accelerated the integration of better credit scoring, financial literacy, and responsible lending. The lesson: sustainability lies not in avoiding risk but in adapting responsibly.
The Next Chapter
Twenty years is not an endpoint. Letshego Uganda is charting its next horizon with a clear agenda: prioritising Uganda’s broader development ambitions by positioning it as both a private sector player and a national partner in economic transformation.
“Central to this next phase is the integration of risk-based financing. By shifting from one-size-fits-all credit models to pricing and structuring loans according to customer profiles, Letshego is unlocking fairer access while protecting portfolio quality. Customers with strong repayment histories are rewarded with lower costs, while first-time borrowers are gradually built into the system with tools for financial literacy and resilience. The result is a virtuous cycle: inclusion becomes more sustainable, and growth is balanced with prudence,” Aijukwe reaffirmed. This forward view underscores a truth that the most enduring innovation in finance is trust.
