Equity Bank and Tian Tang Group partner to unlock Mbale Industrial Park potential

What the report says

Equity Bank Uganda and Tian Tang Group have formed a partnership aimed at expanding financing and business support in the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park, according to The Independent Uganda. The agreement is intended to help firms operating in the park access working capital, business loans and corporate banking services, while also strengthening operations through training in financial literacy and business management.

The report says Tian Tang Group has developed a manufacturing ecosystem in Mbale that supports more than 2,000 enterprises and employs about 15,000 Ugandans. Equity Bank said the collaboration will also focus on practical skills such as cash-flow management, bookkeeping, financial discipline and corporate governance, with the goal of helping businesses build stronger records and improve their ability to qualify for formal credit.

The impact is expected to extend beyond factories into surrounding communities, including suppliers, transporters, logistics providers, traders, construction firms and food businesses. Tian Tang Group’s administrative manager, Laurent Zhang, said closer ties between industrial companies and financial institutions can help unlock resources for enterprise growth, while Equity Bank Uganda Managing Director Gift Shoko described the initiative as part of the bank’s support for Uganda’s industrialisation and local development.

More broadly, the deal reflects a common approach in industrial park development, where finance, skills training and supply-chain support are linked to broader economic growth. The Independent Uganda presented the partnership as a way to ensure benefits reach workers, businesses and families in Mbale and the wider value chain.