By Sulaiman Kauki
KAMPALA — Centenary Group, through its technology arm Centenary Technology Services (Cente-Tech), has entered into a strategic partnership with MicroPay Uganda to develop digital payment solutions aimed at improving access to education, healthcare and insurance services.
The collaboration was formalised on Monday with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Mapeera House in Kampala. The initiative seeks to simplify digital payments, improve financial inclusion and make essential services more accessible, particularly for underserved communities in Uganda and the wider region.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Centenary Group Board Chairman Prof. John Ddumba Ssentamu said the partnership reflects the institution’s long-standing commitment to serving people who have traditionally had limited access to financial services.
He noted that Centenary has built its reputation by extending banking services to market vendors, smallholder farmers and rural communities, adding that the new collaboration will continue that mission by leveraging technology to reach more people.
Under the agreement, Cente-Tech and MicroPay Uganda will jointly develop digital platforms designed to address payment challenges in key sectors.
In the education sector, the partners intend to introduce systems that will allow parents to save gradually for school fees, make flexible tuition payments and access education financing based on their payment history. Schools will also benefit from improved financial management tools that provide real-time visibility of fee collections to support planning and operations.
For healthcare, the partnership will utilise digital payment technology and agent networks to bring financial services closer to communities, making it easier for patients to pay for medical care without travelling long distances.
The insurance component of the partnership will focus on expanding access to affordable insurance products by digitising policy sales, enabling flexible premium payments that match irregular household incomes and speeding up claims processing to ensure beneficiaries receive payments more quickly.
Centenary Technology Services Chief Technology Officer Peter Kahiigi said digital innovation has the power to bridge geographical and economic barriers by giving people equal access to financial services regardless of where they live.
He explained that the partnership builds on the company’s existing digital payment platform, GonzaPay, which operates through a nationwide network of more than 9,000 Cente Agents. Kahiigi added that successful innovations developed through the collaboration could eventually be expanded to other markets where Centenary Group operates, including Malawi.
MicroPay Uganda Board Chairperson Dr. Jennifer Aduwo described the partnership as an important step toward advancing financial inclusion through collaboration.
She said meaningful progress in expanding digital financial services depends on partnerships that combine expertise, innovation and a shared commitment to improving people’s lives.
MicroPay Uganda has more than a decade of experience in digital payments and operates as a licensed payment service provider and payment system operator regulated by the Bank of Uganda. The company is expected to contribute its expertise in payment technologies as the two organisations roll out the new digital solutions.