From Classroom to Tourism Boardroom: Saleh Naminya’s inspiring story sets the tone at Equity Bank’s Tupange Business Forum in Mbale

August 19, 2025 in Business, Companies, Finance, Financial Services by Editor

When Saleh Naminya, a former teacher turned tourism entrepreneur, took to the stage at Equity Bank Uganda’s Tupange Business Forum in Mbale today, his story captured the very essence of what the initiative seeks to achieve: turning small beginnings into transformative enterprises.

Now Managing Director of Casa Uganda Safaris & Lodges, Naminya shared how perseverance and collaboration enabled him to build a thriving tourism business. His lodges, he said, do not operate in isolation but depend on a network of suppliers—from furniture makers and farmers to transporters and digital marketers. “Creating a robust business ecosystem requires collaboration,” he told the audience, emphasizing that success in Mbale’s economy depends on interconnected value chains.

He pointed out that timely and flexible financing is the glue that holds this ecosystem together. Whether it is supplying fertilizer to farmers or arranging last-minute transport for tourists, Naminya argued that financial institutions like Equity Bank play a critical role in ensuring businesses meet demand without eroding trust. His testimony underscored the importance of shifting from collateral-heavy lending models to relationship-based financing.

Equity Bank Uganda launched this year’s edition of its “Tupange ne Equity Business Forum” on August 13 at Hotel Africana in Kampala. Mbale became the second stop in a series that will roll out across key districts including Arua, Hoima, and Fort Portal. The forums bring together entrepreneurs, financiers, and business leaders to explore strategies for scaling up SMEs, which remain the backbone of Uganda’s economy.

Opening the Mbale event, Mr. Claver Serumaga, Executive Director for Commercial Banking at Equity Bank Uganda, described SMEs as “the engine of economic growth and development, essential for both global and local prosperity.” He urged entrepreneurs to view themselves not as isolated players but as part of integrated ecosystems where suppliers, distributors, and employees all require support for businesses to thrive.

Olivia Mugaba, Head of SME at Equity Bank Uganda, reinforced this perspective with hard numbers. SMEs, she said, contribute about 40pc of national income in emerging markets and provide seven out of every ten new jobs globally. In Uganda, Equity Bank is deliberately addressing financing gaps by issuing 10,000 micro and SME loans monthly, worth between UGX 70–100 billion. Beyond financing, she emphasized, the bank offers advisory services, digital solutions, and market access to help businesses compete more effectively.

For many in attendance, Naminya’s journey from the classroom to the boardroom offered living proof of what patient financing, determination, and collaboration can achieve.