Most financial products do not fail because they are poorly designed. They fail because they are launched before institutions truly understand the people they are meant to serve. Uganda is young – not just demographically, but economically. 78% of the population is under 35, digitally connected, ambitious, and navigating financial independence earlier than previous generations. This cohort, often labelled Gen Z, is already reshaping how financial services must think, speak, and behave. For Letshego Uganda, the opportunity is not to target Gen Z, but to understand them properly. What does the data say? The FinScope Uganda Survey shows steady growth…
This Is Premium Content. Subscribe And Save On Unlimited Access With Our Best Offers!
Finance Trust Bank has outlined the next phase of its operations after receiving approval from the Bank of Uganda to continue business under a Tier II Credit Institution licence, effective…
What began as one of the most closely watched cross border banking acquisition plans in East Africa has now officially fallen apart. The proposed takeover of Uganda’s Finance Trust Bank…
When Bank of Uganda, on Thursday (January 29, 2026), announced that Finance Trust Bank had been authorised to transition from a Tier I commercial bank to a Tier II credit…
The Bank of Uganda (BoU) has approved the transition of Finance Trust Bank Limited from a Tier I commercial banking licence to a Tier II credit institution licence, marking the…
Uganda has moved up to third position in Africa’s financial markets rankings, overtaking Nigeria and consolidating its position as the leading financial market in East Africa. According to the Absa Africa Financial Markets Index 2025, Uganda now ranks behind only South Africa and Mauritius on the continent, marking a significant shift in Africa’s financial markets hierarchy and underscoring the impact of sustained, multi-year reform across all six pillars of market development. This upward movement reflects a long reform trajectory that has prioritised institutional credibility, market openness, and resilience over scale. Uganda’s composite score of 66 places it ahead of Nigeria,…
This Is Premium Content. Subscribe And Save On Unlimited Access With Our Best Offers!
Ugandan businesses maintained a broadly optimistic outlook through 2025, supported by steady order flows and firm expectations for the near term, even as credit conditions tightened and confidence eased toward the end of the year. The overall business confidence index averaged 58.3, remaining comfortably above the 50-point optimism threshold. Sentiment climbed to 59.5 in May, then slipped through the final quarter, reaching 56.2 in November before edging up to 57.2 in December. Future expectations outpace present conditions Businesses reported modestly positive operating conditions, generally in the mid-50s, while expectations for the next three months consistently remained stronger. Forward-looking confidence peaked…
This Is Premium Content. Subscribe And Save On Unlimited Access With Our Best Offers!
Banks are lending more freely for now, but are preparing to tighten the taps as election uncertainty builds, and borrowers show signs of strain. Lending conditions in the quarter ending December 2025 were broadly unchanged, though with a gentle bias toward easing. Credit standards eased by 9.2% for enterprises and 18.5% for households, supported by stable inflation, seasonal demand, and targeted support for small businesses and consumers. That supportive stance is expected to shift. Banks anticipate a net tightening of 16.1% in enterprise credit standards by March 2026, marking a clear move from cautious optimism toward more active risk management….
This Is Premium Content. Subscribe And Save On Unlimited Access With Our Best Offers!
This festive season, Pearl Bank (formerly PostBank Uganda) reminded customers that banking can still feel human, warm, and personal, as it concluded its Christmas campaign dubbed “Pearl Santa.” The campaign culminated in courtesy visits to key media houses including Nation Media, Vision Group and Next Media, in appreciation of their continued support in shaping and amplifying the Pearl Bank story, particularly during the Bank’s transition from PostBank to Pearl Bank. The Christmas season is traditionally marked by togetherness, joy and shared moments with family and friends, and Pearl Bank aligned its festive engagement to reflect this spirit. Through surprise visits,…
This Is Premium Content. Subscribe And Save On Unlimited Access With Our Best Offers!
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development has tightened control over Uganda’s gold trade, unfolding against a backdrop of record-breaking export earnings, a planned entry of the central bank into domestic gold buying, and persistent concerns over transparency and conflict-linked supply chains. The Energy Ministry today issued a detailed public notice restricting gold trade to licensed players. Under the new directive, trading in gold may only take place between holders of valid mineral dealers’ licences for precious metals, gold mining licences, or refining licences, as provided for under the Mining and Minerals Act, 2022. The notice, issued through the Ministry’s…
This Is Premium Content. Subscribe And Save On Unlimited Access With Our Best Offers!
