Agent Banking Transactions Surge 65% to Shs40 Trillion

What the report says

Uganda’s agent banking network saw a strong rise in activity in the year to March 2026, with the value of transactions increasing by 65.2% to Shs41.3 trillion from Shs25 trillion a year earlier. The figures, reported in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development’s July 2026 Microeconomic Indicators and Developments (MIND) report and cited by Nile Post, point to the expanding role of agent banking in making financial services more accessible outside traditional bank branches.

The number of agent banking transactions also grew sharply, rising 37% to 15 million from 10.9 million over the same period. The ministry said the increase was driven mainly by more float purchases and cash deposits, reflecting continued demand for cash-in and cash-out services at agent outlets. In broad terms, agent banking allows customers to carry out basic financial transactions through local agents, a model that is especially useful in areas with limited access to formal banking infrastructure.

The same report also described mixed trends in Uganda’s wider economy. It noted higher activity on the Uganda Securities Exchange, where the All Share Index rose in July, and an increase in gross fixed capital formation during the 2025/26 financial year. At the same time, businesses faced higher electricity costs, while food prices eased slightly. The agent banking growth stood out as one of the clearest signs of continued digital and community-based financial expansion in Uganda.