Shs2bn Project Launched to Expand Green Finance in Northern and Eastern Uganda

What the report says

A more than Shs2 billion initiative has been launched to widen access to green and inclusive finance for farmers and agribusinesses in Northern and Eastern Uganda. Nile Post reports that the two-year Sustainable Pathways for Rural Outreach and Upward Transition into Nature-positive Growth, or SPROUT, project is being led by aBi Finance Limited and ASA Microfinance Uganda. The launch took place in Kampala on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.

The project is intended to support rural financial services, climate-smart agriculture and women-led businesses. According to the report, ASA Microfinance plans to open 10 new branches in the two regions, adjust three agribusiness lending products and roll out a USSD-based digital service so customers can use basic mobile phones to access finance without smartphones or internet. The partners also plan to train about 5,000 women-owned agribusinesses in financial management, responsible borrowing and green finance, alongside specialised training for roughly 320 staff members.

Nile Post says the initiative is expected to produce more than 10,000 green loans worth about Shs10 billion, as well as at least 6,000 additional loans through the new branches. The USSD platform is projected to support at least 90,000 digital transactions. The project is meant to help close financing gaps for rural communities that often struggle to access affordable credit, especially for investments such as solar irrigation, improved seed varieties and energy-efficient equipment.

The report also notes that the project aligns with Uganda’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy II for 2023-2028 and is being presented as a model that could be expanded more widely across the financial sector if it succeeds.