By Silvia Nyambura
Mobile phone owners in Uganda can now access information on financial matters through their phones. This follows the Uganda Bankers Association (UBA) launch of financial literacy USSD, SMS and Website Platforms. These platforms will allow the general public to learn how to use money, save, invest and borrow to boost their income and improve their financial status.
According to UBA Chairman Fabian Kasi, phone users can now dial code *270*200# where they will be guided on how to access the information they desire. Additionally, existing customers will be able to request for loans, inquire about fraud, savings and balances by sending keyword to short code 6969.
“UBA embarked on a financial literacy campaign in 2013 to attract into the banking sector Uganda’s large unbanked population. Out of a population of over 34 million we have only 5.6 million bank accounts. This is too low compared to South Africa’s population of 33.7 million which had 22.5 million bank accounts in 2012,
