Uganda: Absa Bank Uganda to Help Customers Understand Credit and Borrow Smart to Drive Growth

29 January 2026
The Independent (Kampala)

Kampala — Absa Bank Uganda has today launched a new Retail and Business Banking campaign anchored on financial literacy, aimed at helping individuals and small businesses make smarter borrowing decisions and use credit as a tool for sustainable growth.

The campaign responds to a broader insight across Uganda's lending landscape: many Ugandans access credit without a clear understanding of the different financing options available or how to structure borrowing to achieve long-term personal and business goals.

"We believe deeply in the potential of every individual and business," said Moses Rutahigwa, Retail and Business Banking Director at Absa Bank Uganda. "While we continue to provide innovative and accessible financial solutions, this campaign goes further. For the rest of the year, we are committing to deliberate, practical conversations that help our customers understand credit, choose the right solutions, and use borrowing as a catalyst for growth, not stress."

Through the campaign, Absa will engage customers across branches, digital platforms and media with practical guidance on financial discipline, loan structuring, business planning and personal money management. The programme will feature real customer success stories, expert insights, and everyday tips designed to demystify borrowing and promote responsible financial behaviour.

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The campaign was launched at an interactive customer session featuring personal finance coach Newton Buteraba and business leader Robert Kabushenga, who shared candid lessons drawn from their own financial journeys; from early missteps to the discipline required to build sustainably over time. The session sparked lively engagement, with participants asking practical, real-life questions on managing debt, planning for school fees, structuring business loans, and balancing ambition with financial reality.

The exchanges underscored the very gap the campaign seeks to address: the need for everyday, relatable guidance that helps people make confident and informed financial decisions.

According to the Bank of Uganda, the industry's non-performing loan (NPL) ratio improved to 3.66% by September 2025, down from 3.74% the previous quarter. While the trend reflects a recovering economy and improved credit risk management, NPLs remain a concern for the sector.

"Even with the positive trend, non-performing loans continue to impact the financial system," Rutahigwa noted. "They are often driven by poor financial decisions, weak planning, or diversion of funds to unproductive uses. That is precisely where financial literacy and discipline become critical. Our goal is to ensure customers borrow with clarity, purpose and confidence."

Rutahigwa added that the campaign aligns with broader national efforts to elevate financial capability across Uganda.

Bank of Uganda has championed a long-term financial literacy strategy meant to enhance consumer understanding of financial products and informed decision-making, as part of its mandate to promote financial inclusion and protect consumers. This includes development of public education that covers topics such as savings, loans and budgeting aimed at helping Ugandans make wise financial choices.

At the same time, the Uganda Bankers Association drives industry-wide consumer education and financial literacy initiatives that support responsible banking practices and broader public awareness about effective money management. These combined efforts provide a strategic backdrop for Absa's campaign.

The campaign is backed by a suite of accessible financing solutions. Alongside these, the bank offers a variety of financial solutions, including but not limited to trade finance, credit cards, bancassurance and more business or personal banking solutions for your borrowing and investment needs.

Accessible financing solutions:

Personal loans of up to UGX 400 million, with a repayment period of up to 96 months and guaranteed feedback within 6 hours

Home loans of up to UGX 2 billion at competitive rates, offering financing for property purchase through our real estate partners, home construction, or equity release.

Digi-loans (mobile loans) of up to UGX 5 million, available instantly through our paperless mobile banking app, with access in seconds.

Unsecured business loans of upto UGX 200 million with a tenure of 3 years and secured loans of up to UGX 600million

School bridge financing, offering unsecured loans of up to UGX 500 million with Zero arrangement fees

Read the original article on Independent (Kampala).

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