Centenary Bank has teamed up with the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) to roll out a financing initiative aimed at easing access to credit for Uganda’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The programme was unveiled during the inaugural Enterprise Finance Summit in Kampala, held under the theme “Empowering Enterprise Growth Through Smart Financing Solutions.” The event attracted over 100 participants, including SME owners, women entrepreneurs, youth, policymakers, and development partners.
According to Centenary Bank Managing Director Dr. Fabian Kasi, SMEs remain the backbone of Uganda’s economy but face chronic financing challenges. He said the partnership with AGF will help the bank expand its SME loan portfolio by sharing risk and lowering barriers to credit.
AGF officials stressed that the facility is designed to tackle structural challenges that lock many entrepreneurs particularly women-led businesses out of the formal financial system. By covering part of the lending risk, AGF gives banks confidence to extend loans to groups that would otherwise struggle to qualify.
Dr. Kasi noted that Centenary Bank already finances more than 150,000 businesses, but the new collaboration will allow the bank to reach many more, especially in sectors critical for job creation and inclusive growth.
The summit also highlighted tailored products such as the Cente Supawoman programme and the GROW loan, which are expected to give women and youth-run businesses greater access to finance.
With this move, Centenary Bank and AGF say they are not only improving credit access but also contributing to Uganda’s wider goal of driving Agro-industrialisation, enterprise growth, and poverty reduction through smart financing solutions.