Stanbic-led economic scheme targets 10,000 women entrepreneurs in Northern Uganda

What the report says

Watchdog Uganda reported that Stanbic Uganda Holdings Limited, through its banking arm and the Stanbic Business Incubator, has launched two linked programmes in Gulu aimed at supporting low-income women entrepreneurs and horticulture farmers in Northern Uganda. The initiatives are the Women Economic Empowerment programme, backed by the Gates Foundation, and the Albertine Agribusiness Development Programme, funded by the Uganda National Oil Company.

According to the report, the programmes are intended to reach more than 10,000 women entrepreneurs and 100 horticulture farmers with affordable credit, business development services and digital financial tools. Catherine Poran, chief executive of the Stanbic Business Incubator, said the women-focused programme will include entrepreneurship training, financial literacy, digital skills, mentorship, insurance, savings products and market connections. The agribusiness programme will focus on agronomic practices, post-harvest handling and links to buyers.

The launch was held at Mayor’s Gardens in Gulu, where Resident City Commissioner Ambrose Onoria urged beneficiaries to use the opportunity, citing a 10% interest rate under the scheme. Gulu City Mayor Labeja Julius Acire said the programme could help counter exploitative informal lenders by combining structured financing with training. UNOC’s Jessica Kyeyune emphasized the need for entrepreneurs to understand cash flow and profit, while also noting planned market links for farmers.

Watchdog Uganda said the initiative falls under Stanbic’s wider Women, Youth and Farmers agenda, through which the bank aims to mobilise up to UGX 1 trillion by 2028 via partnerships. The report also frames the effort as aligned with Uganda’s broader economic strategy to raise productivity, strengthen agro-industrial value chains and expand participation in the formal money economy.