dfcu urges stronger regional finance links to accelerate East African industrialisation

What the report says

dfcu Bank is urging stronger coordination among banks, regulators and central banks across East Africa to improve access to capital, support industrial growth and make cross-border trade easier. The call was made in Kampala at the Regional Industrialisation Conference organized by the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and held at Serena Kampala on August 18, according to The Independent Uganda.

dfcu Chief Executive Officer Charles Mudiwa said regional industrialisation will require more than standard lending. He argued that businesses also need market intelligence, technical skills and human capacity, especially micro, small and medium enterprises, which make up a large share of the private sector. He said dfcu has backed this approach through its foundation by setting aside part of annual net profits for catalytic financing, including interest-free support for selected MSMEs with repayment terms designed to be less burdensome than conventional loans.

Mudiwa pointed to existing support for agricultural value chains, including cocoa farmers in Kasese and school-based poultry initiatives, as examples of financing linked to enterprise development. He said the bank wants to scale this model so firms can move from local markets into regional and international value chains.

PSFU chief executive Stephen Asiimwe also said East African integration needs practical reforms to reduce delays and costs in moving goods, services, people and capital. His comments, as reported by The Independent Uganda, reflect a broader regional push to turn integration plans into measurable improvements for business competitiveness.