KAMPALA — Stanbic Business Incubator Limited, in partnership with the German development agency GIZ, has graduated 165 women-led green enterprises in a move aimed at promoting sustainable economic growth and environmental transformation in Uganda.
The graduation ceremony, held together with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, celebrated entrepreneurs who completed the first four cohorts of the Green Businesses and Jobs for the Green Transformation project.
The initiative was launched in 2024 under the Women for the Green Transformation in Africa (WE4D) programme and focuses on women entrepreneurs working in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste management, circular economy ventures, ecotourism and blue economy activities. The regional programme operates in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania with support from the European Union and the Government of Norway.
Michael Seng, who leads the WE4D programme at GIZ, said the partnership with Stanbic seeks to develop resilient women-owned businesses that can contribute to East Africa’s transition to a greener economy.
“Women entrepreneurs in the green sector have the capacity to create employment, protect the environment and strengthen local economies. Our goal is to equip them with the skills, networks and business readiness required for long-term growth,” Seng said.
According to the organisers, more than 400 applications were received for the programme. Two hundred enterprises were shortlisted, while 165 successfully completed the two-year training, giving the programme a completion rate of over 80 percent.
Participants underwent business training through workshops, mentorship, field visits and coaching sessions designed to improve operations, governance and investment preparedness.
Stanbic Business Incubator Chief Executive Officer Catherine Poran said the programme reflects the bank’s wider commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and enterprise development across Uganda.
She noted that the graduating businesses are already contributing to job creation and local economic activity while positioning themselves for future investment opportunities.
Representing Stanbic Uganda Holdings Chief Executive Mark Ocitti, executive committee member Judith Kibuuka said Stanbic and its partners have committed significant resources toward climate resilience financing, enterprise growth and financial inclusion.
She added that the objective is not only to train women entrepreneurs but also to connect them with finance, markets and business support systems that can help them expand sustainably.
Government officials said the programme supports Uganda’s broader economic agenda. Lydia Nabiryo, Assistant Commissioner for Equity and Rights at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, who represented State Minister Mary Kuteesa, said women-led green enterprises are essential to achieving the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
“Uganda’s economic transformation requires deliberate investment in women entrepreneurs who are creating jobs, innovating and supporting environmental sustainability,” Nabiryo said.
Several graduates said the training changed how they manage their businesses. Anne Kayiwa, founder of clean energy company Papillon Living, said the mentorship helped her understand that business growth depends not only on access to finance but also on management skills and formal business structures.
Joan Muchiruka of Iroma Honey said the programme encouraged her to seek formal certification and improve her enterprise’s operational systems.
Closing the event, Johnson Abitekaniza, Assistant Commissioner for Training and Business Skills Development at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, urged the graduates to maintain strong customer service standards and efficient response times. He also revealed that the ministry has established a dedicated desk to help small and medium enterprises supported under the WE4D programme access certification more quickly.