Stanbic Programme Targets 10,000 Women Entrepreneurs in Northern Uganda

July 27, 2026 in Business, Companies, Financial Services by Editor

Stanbic Bank Uganda has launched two economic empowerment programmes targeting more than 10,000 women entrepreneurs and 100 horticulture farmers in Northern Uganda, combining affordable financing, business training and market linkages to support enterprise growth and financial inclusion.

 

More than 10,000 low-income women entrepreneurs and 100 horticulture farmers in Northern Uganda are set to benefit from a new programme  by Stanbic Bank Uganda, offering affordable credit, business skills training and market access.

The initiative comprises the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) Programme, supported by the Gates Foundation, and the Albertine Agribusiness Development Programme (ADP), funded by the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC).

Beyond access to financing, participants will receive entrepreneurship training, financial literacy, digital skills, mentorship and support to connect with formal markets, addressing some of the longstanding barriers that have limited the growth of women-owned businesses and smallholder farming enterprises.

The programme is part of Stanbic Bank’s broader Women, Youth and Farmers Agenda, through which the bank plans to mobilise up to UGX 1 trillion by 2028 with development partners to support enterprise growth.

Speaking at the launch in Gulu, Catherine Poran, Chief Executive of Stanbic Business Incubator Limited, said many women remain excluded from formal finance because they lack collateral and established credit histories.

She said the programme is intended to help participants build financial records while strengthening their business management skills and access to formal financial services.

For the agricultural component, Poran said participating farmers would receive training in modern agronomic practices and be linked to structured markets through off-takers.

“Many farmers produce quality crops but struggle to find reliable markets. We are working with buyers who are ready to purchase their produce,” she said.

The programme also seeks to improve productivity by encouraging each participating farmer to transfer improved farming practices to at least 15 other farmers within their communities.

Resident City Commissioner Ambrose Onoria urged beneficiaries to use the opportunity to grow their businesses, noting that the programme offers financing at a concessional interest rate of 10%.

UNOC National Content Specialist Jessica Kyeyune said access to finance alone would not guarantee business success without better financial management.

“Many entrepreneurs fail to distinguish between profit and cash flow. Understanding these fundamentals enables business owners to know whether their enterprises are actually growing,” she said.

Kyeyune added that participating farmers would also receive training on reducing post-harvest losses and be linked to export markets.

Gulu City Mayor Labeja Julius Acire said the programme could provide an alternative to informal money lenders that often charge high interest rates while equipping women entrepreneurs with practical business skills.

The initiative comes as government and private sector institutions increase efforts to improve financial inclusion and enterprise productivity, particularly among women and smallholder farmers who continue to face limited access to affordable credit, technical support and organised markets.