BoU shuts down Ugandan bank payment system for four days

What the report says

The Bank of Uganda has announced a four-day suspension of two core payment platforms, prompting businesses, government agencies and individual customers to plan for delays in bank transfers. According to The Observer, the shutdown will cover the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system and the Automated Clearing House (ACH), starting at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, and ending at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, November 9, 2026.

The central bank said the temporary outage is needed to carry out a planned upgrade of the national payments infrastructure. In its public notice, BoU said the work is aimed at improving the efficiency, reliability, resilience and interoperability of Uganda’s payment systems, and supporting regional financial integration. The bank also linked the upgrade to the East African Community’s Cross-Border Payment System Masterplan, which is intended to make payments across member states smoother and more secure.

The affected systems handle different types of transactions. RTGS is used for high-value, urgent interbank payments, while ACH supports bulk transfers, cheque clearing and direct debits. The interruption could therefore delay large settlements, salary batches, supplier payments and other time-sensitive transactions processed through participating banks.

The notice does not say all banking services will stop. The Observer reported that mobile money, card payments, cash services and mobile banking were not specifically listed as affected. BoU has urged customers and institutions to complete urgent transactions in advance and to contact their banks for guidance on alternative channels during the upgrade period.