By Mulengera Reporters
Equity Bank Uganda has launched this year’s Tupange Business ne Equity Nationwide Forums, an annual programme aimed at helping Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) grow through better connections in key value chains.
The 2025 theme, “Financing Integrated Value Chains and SME Growth”, focuses on linking businesses so they can expand faster, improve cash flow, and access new markets. The launch took place on Thursday Hotel Africana, with follow-up sessions planned for Mbale on August 19, Arua on August 21, Fort Portal on September 2, and Hoima on September 9, 2025.
The forums take place after the reading of the national budget and are designed to address SME challenges such as access to credit, innovation, and market opportunities.
At the launch, Olivia Mugaba, Head of SME at Equity Bank Uganda, noted that SMEs create seven out of every ten jobs globally and are the “heartbeat of the economy,” saying the bank’s focus on financing entire value chains (from producers to end consumers) helps businesses grow sustainably and strengthens the nation’s economic foundation.
Claver Serumaga, Executive Director of Equity Bank Uganda, emphasised that the forums are part of the bank’s mission to bring both financial solutions and business support closer to SMEs. He pointed to innovations such as real-time payments, bulk salary processing, and unsecured supplier financing of up to UGX 1.5 billion as examples of how the bank is investing in growth-friendly tools.
A key highlight was the unveiling of upgraded digital banking solutions, including improved internet banking, ERP integration, and a soon-to-be-launched “Pay with Equity” platform to make transactions and daily business operations more seamless. The aim is to empower even the smallest businesses to manage their finances efficiently and scale up.
Interactive sessions during the launch allowed entrepreneurs to engage with Equity Bank relationship managers, learning how integrated financing can strengthen supply chains (from raw materials to final sales.
Pastor Robert Kayanja of Miracle Centre Cathedral shared how Equity Bank has supported agricultural projects in Karamoja, helping communities fight hunger through financing tractors and farming initiatives.
Adding an economic perspective, Dr. Fred Muhumuza from MUBS stressed that an SME’s success depends on every link in its value chain, commending the Bank for financing the entire chain to ensure stability and sustainable growth for all players.
In 2024, the programme reached over 600 SME owners across Uganda, offering financial advice, training, and networking opportunities. The initiative builds on Equity Bank’s Abakyala Ku Ntikko engagements with women entrepreneurs and aligns with Uganda’s 2025/26 growth strategy, which prioritises commercial agriculture, industrialisation, digital transformation, and market access.
The forums also tie into the bank’s Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan, which supports sectors such as agriculture, trade, manufacturing, and technology-driven enterprises.
This year, Equity Bank aims to engage over 1,000 SMEs through the forums, scaling up regional outreach and providing tools to help them compete in the modern economy. With SMEs making up over 90% of private sector activity in Uganda, the bank says its continued investment is about building strong value chains, promoting economic inclusion, and supporting national development. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
