Equity Uganda builds green lending capacity through UGEFA programme

February 13, 2026 in Companies, Finance, Financial Services by Editor

Equity Bank Uganda has enhanced its capacity to structure and scale sustainable finance products following a three-day Uganda Green Enterprise Finance Accelerator (UGEFA) training, positioning the bank to tap into growing demand for green SME financing.

 

Equity Bank Uganda has taken key staff through intensive training under the Uganda Green Enterprise Finance Accelerator (UGEFA) as it moves to strengthen its internal capacity to mobilise green finance and attract new clients.

The three-day Green Loan Product Development Training brought together 20 operational staff from departments including Product Development, Finance, ESG and Sustainability, Public Sector and Social Investment, Credit, Risk, Reporting and Data, Marketing, and Branch Operations. Held at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kampala, the programme concluded with a graduation ceremony where participants received certificates.

Facilitated by UGEFA’s green finance experts, the training equipped SME-focused teams with practical tools to structure green loan products that balance commercial viability with measurable environmental impact. Sessions covered eligibility criteria, risk assessment, pricing models and go-to-market strategies.

Uganda’s green SME sector continues to face financing gaps, with many enterprises constrained by limited collateral, thin credit histories and the longer payback periods often associated with environmentally focused investments. These constraints have slowed the growth of sustainable businesses and contributed to lender caution.

For financial institutions, the segment has traditionally presented high transaction costs, difficulty in assessing emerging green technologies and perceived risk exposure. However, rising demand for sustainable finance, alongside implementation of Uganda’s National Green Taxonomy, is creating opportunities for banks prepared to innovate.

Catherine Psogmen, Director of Public Sector and Social Investment at Equity Bank Uganda, said strategic partnerships and regulatory alignment are central to the bank’s green finance agenda. She welcomed collaboration with the European Union and adelphi under the UGEFA project, noting that understanding regulatory expectations — including green taxonomy and climate risk regulations — is essential for demonstrating institutional sustainability.

She reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to applying lessons from the training and expanding refinancing activity within the green segment.

Virginia Ssemakula, Pillar Head Energy, Environment and Climate Change at Equity Bank Uganda, said strengthening internal expertise is critical to scaling sustainable finance solutions. Enhanced staff capacity, she added, enables the bank to design products that respond to market demand while aligning with national and global climate priorities.

The programme concluded with what the bank described as a practical starting point for launching a ready-to-market green loan product and building a stronger institutional foundation to expand sustainable finance offerings. Through its engagement under UGEFA, Equity Bank Uganda is positioning itself to play a more active role in supporting green enterprise growth within Uganda’s evolving sustainable finance landscape.