This survey was commissioned by the Financial Sector Deepening Uganda (FSDU) on behalf of Uganda Insurers Association (UIA). The survey was implemented by Ipso was conducted within the major towns of the four regions of Uganda.
For the last few months I’ve attended several conferences discussing various aspects of the financial services sector from product innovation to financial inclusion. The one thing that has carried over from country to country and topic to topic is the inevitable moment when the coolest person in the room will mention that they’re currently reading up on the next big thing. Bitcoin and Blockchain. This technology is going to change everything. It will upturn business models and the internet will finally be leveraged for change and life will be all rainbows and ice-cream-gluten free at that.
Faith owns a small fruit-selling business in Uganda. Like most small business owners in Uganda, Faith started her enterprise with her own income and lacks access to finance to grow beyond the few fruit stalls she owns. She doesn’t keep full financial records and lives most of herlife informally and in cash, but has started using mobile money to make payments to the truck driver that delivers the fruit to the market and to receive payments from her customers. Faith, like Gimli Roberts from our first blog post, lacks access to financial services that support and improve their livelihoods.
FSD Uganda is an independent, not for profit company. We support innovation, conduct research and help promote and improve policy, laws and regulation that shape the financial sector.
I had a call from the village on Monday. I needed to make a deposit into the farm manager’s account urgently in order to allow him pay the vet. It was 3.45pm, I was busy, and had a packed social evening planned. I just couldn’t make it to my bank (to withdraw the money), then run across to his (to deposit the same) in time.
Banks and other financial sector players in Uganda await the issuance of the Agency Banking regulations in growing anticipation. Their issuance will allow for the extension of the provision of basic financial transactions to your local super market, hardware shop or pharmacy. In this way, banks should offer more convenient, flexible and accessible account access for both new and existing customers.
“M-Shwari hits the 10 million customer mark”- we’ve all seen the articles and blogs posts about this innovative Safaricom-Commercial Bank ofAfrica (CBA) product that allows mobile money users to remotely open bank accounts, earn interest on their savings and access credit instantly. We’ve seen traditional financial institutions rushing to make strategic partnerships with mobile network operators, in an effort to replicate this success.
To date, FinScope surveys have been carried out in 18 African countries including Uganda. FinScope III survey for Uganda follows two previous-FinScope I and II surveys carried out in 2006 and 2009 respectively.
The findings, based on interviews with over 2,200 mobile money agents interviewed in 2015, the ANA Uganda report, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, FSDU, IFC, FSDA and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) highlights findings on the DFS agent landscape in Uganda covering agent profitability, transaction volumes, liquidity management and other important strategic considerations.
The main objective of the market research was to assess the needs, preferences and capacities of the potential customers in Oyam and surrounding districts. This document presents the findings of the study.
On February 18, 2016, the people of Uganda went to the polls to vote in the Presidential and Primary elections. Citing a threat to “national security,” the Uganda Communications Commission ordered mobile network operators to shut down key social media sites (WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter) and disable mobile money platforms.
The National Small Business Survey assessed the nature and scope of MSMEs in Uganda. The purpose of the survey was to identify constraints to MSMEs’ development and growth with a focus on access to finance, infrastructure, business development services, markets and technology
The Uganda Microfinance Sector Effectiveness Review for 2014 is an initiative of the Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Uganda based on a similar review that was done by the Consultative Group for Assisting the Poor (CGAP) and published in 2004. The report bears resemblance to the first review but has added new dimensions given the developments in the sector over the last decade.
Rapid Assessment of the Feasibility of a National Long-term Savings Scheme
Empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises: The Influence of Microfinance Group Lending
What does it take to make digital credit gender inclusive?
Savings and Investments by the Low Income Segment in Capital Markets: A Case Of XENO
