Think biG!

Urge- DevWire

News. Analysis. Events

Urge Dev-News | UrgeDevWire

A weekly development news platform published by UrgeDevWire, produced by Urge Communications. Covering wider East African region.

Dev-News News Desk| East Africa. Urge- DevWire

EIB Financing Reaches More Than 24,000 Ugandan Micro-Businesses in Partnership with Centenary Bank.

KAMPALA, Uganda — 4 August 2026

More than 24,000 Ugandan micro-enterprises received financing during the first year of a partnership between the European Investment Bank's development arm, EIB Global, and Centenary Bank, according to figures released on 4 August. The seven-year financing operation aims to make €100 million available to private-sector enterprises in Uganda. EIB Global provided a €50 million credit line to Centenary Bank, which is matching the amount.

The programme focuses particularly on micro-enterprises, women-led businesses and enterprises located in rural areas. Women represented more than 60 percent of beneficiaries, exceeding the programme's 50 percent target, while 75 percent of financed projects were located in rural areas, also above the initial 60 percent target. Trade accounted for about half of the projects financed, while agriculture represented nearly 40 percent. The operation is EIB Global's largest microfinance loan in any African, Caribbean and Pacific country, targeting micro-enterprises employing fewer than ten full-time workers.

The programme also includes the Africa Women Rising Initiative, through which Centenary Bank has developed financial products and business-support services for women entrepreneurs, including training in financial literacy and record keeping.

Centenary Bank's number of female clients has increased by 21 percent, while its non-performing loans among women have fallen by more than 8 percent, according to the EIB. The financing also targets refugees, including people from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

source: European Investment Bank- Uganda micro-business finaance update.

Dev-News Desk| East Africa. Urge- DevWire