Absa Bank Uganda has announced that it has surpassed its commitment to plant one million trees, achieving the milestone ahead of the three-year timeline set when the programme was launched in February 2023.
By August 2025, the bank had planted a total of 1,281,317 trees across the country. The achievement was realised through a phased approach, with 340,590 trees planted in 2023, 372,641 in 2024, and 568,086 in 2025, marking a significant contribution to national climate-action and restoration efforts.
The announcement was made during a tree-planting exercise at Kyanja View Primary School, where Helen Basuuta Nangonzi, Absa Bank Uganda's Marketing and Customer Experience Director, emphasised the importance of collaboration in tackling climate change.
"We are cognisant of the need for partnerships in addressing the impact of climate change," Basuuta said.
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"Through strong collaborations, we have achieved this milestone, which aligns with our commitment to building community resilience while mitigating climate risks. We will continue planting and nurturing more trees because of the critical role they play in environmental stewardship and biodiversity conservation."
To deliver on this initiative, Absa partnered with several organisations, including My Tree Initiative, the Ministry of Water and Environment under the Running Out of Trees (ROOTS) initiative, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Rotary Uganda, Makerere University, the Uganda Biodiversity Fund, and the Mwiri Old Boys Association, among others.
Basuuta further noted that the tree-planting initiative is part of Absa's broader purpose-led strategy.
"Our drive to be a force for good is anchored in addressing societal challenges and inequities. Climate change threatens agriculture and livelihoods, while financial exclusion limits access to opportunity. As a bank, we are uniquely positioned to respond through the solutions we design, the partnerships we build, and the way we deploy capital."
She also reaffirmed Absa's commitment to inclusive growth.
"Our focus on financial inclusion ensures that individuals, SMEs, and underserved communities can participate meaningfully in the economy. This guides how we structure credit, expand access channels, and provide tailored advisory services. Beyond financial literacy, we intentionally enable people and businesses to access financing, grow, and create jobs--directly contributing to Uganda's development agenda."
Commending the partnership, Enjer Ashiraf, Executive Director of My Tree Initiative, said the milestone demonstrates the power of collaboration.
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"We are honoured to have partnered with Absa Bank Uganda on this remarkable achievement. It shows what collective action can accomplish in building a greener, more sustainable future."
Uganda's National Development Plan (NDP) IV identifies climate change vulnerability as a major threat to sustainable development, citing rising incidents of floods, landslides, and droughts.
National forest cover has declined from 24% in 1990 to 13.3% in 2022, while wetland coverage dropped from 15% to 13% by 2019, underscoring the urgency of restoration initiatives such as Absa's tree-planting programme.
