FAMReports News Desk | September 2025
Absa Bank Uganda has launched a nationwide series of Regional SME Forums, beginning with sessions in Masaka, Mbarara, and Fort Portal. The initiative, implemented under the Absa Business Club, is designed to equip entrepreneurs with practical skills, networks, and opportunities to scale their enterprises and position them for long-term growth.
Delivered in partnership with Uganda Airlines, DHL, Grant Thornton, and Enterprise Uganda, the forums are a timely intervention for a sector that forms the backbone of the country’s economy. According to the Uganda Investment Authority, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for 90 percent of private-sector employment and contribute over 80 percent of national GDP. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) further notes that SMEs generate 80 percent of manufactured output and employ more than 2.5 million Ugandans.
Closing Gaps for Uganda’s SMEs
Despite their massive contribution to the economy, SMEs continue to face systemic challenges. Access to finance, limited technical skills, and a complex regulatory environment are among the key barriers holding back entrepreneurs, according to the World Bank’s 2024 review.
Youth entrepreneurs are particularly constrained by inadequate capital, insufficient mentorship, and lack of access to larger markets. These challenges often prevent promising ventures from moving beyond the startup stage to become sustainable enterprises.
Recognizing this gap, Absa Bank Uganda and its partners are leveraging the SME Forums to provide entrepreneurs with targeted support. By moving beyond Kampala into the regions, the program ensures that business owners across the country can access expertise, tailored financial solutions, and networking opportunities previously limited to urban centers.
“SMEs are innovative and resilient, but face persistent challenges from compliance to market access,” said Moses Rutahigwa, Retail and Business Banking Director at Absa Bank Uganda. “These forums connect business owners to partners who can help them expand, professionalize operations, and unlock new opportunities.”
Partner Contributions: Practical Solutions for Growth
Each of Absa’s partners is delivering a specialized theme to the forums, ensuring that entrepreneurs receive holistic, actionable knowledge.
Grant Thornton is focusing on bookkeeping and tax compliance, guiding SMEs to maintain proper records, align with regulatory standards, and strengthen their financial base. This knowledge is essential for accessing credit and sustaining long-term growth.
DHL is addressing cross-border operations and supply chain management. Entrepreneurs are being trained on how to streamline logistics, tap into international markets, and overcome export challenges.
Uganda Airlines is highlighting the role of affordable business travel and trade linkages in bridging market gaps. By making regional and international travel more accessible, the airline is enabling SMEs to explore new opportunities.
Enterprise Uganda is focusing on succession planning, a critical area often neglected by entrepreneurs. This approach helps ensure that businesses outlive their founders and continue to thrive across generations.
The diversity of topics reflects the varied challenges faced by SMEs and the importance of collaborative solutions that bring together financial, logistical, and technical expertise.
Absa Business Club: Anchored on Four Pillars
The forums are part of the Absa Business Club, which was relaunched earlier this year. The Club is anchored on four key pillars designed to create an enabling ecosystem for SMEs:
1. Access to Markets – providing direct linkages to local, regional, and global markets.
2. Knowledge and Capacity Building – offering training sessions and workshops led by industry experts.
3. Networking and Growth – creating opportunities for peer learning, mentorship, and partnerships.
4. Financial and Non-Financial Services – providing tailored financing products and advisory services alongside non-financial support such as training and coaching.
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Through this structure, members are gaining access to expert-led training, strategic partnerships, and opportunities that expand beyond Uganda’s borders.
Building Enterprises for the Future
The rollout of Regional SME Forums underscores Absa’s recognition that Uganda’s growth story is tied to the strength of its entrepreneurs. By equipping SMEs with tools for compliance, logistics, succession planning, and international market entry, Absa and its partners are helping entrepreneurs build businesses that can withstand shocks and compete regionally and globally.
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The initiative is also timely in the context of Uganda’s broader development agenda, which emphasizes industrialization, private sector growth, and youth employment as drivers of transformation. With SMEs generating over 80 percent of GDP, empowering this sector is central to ensuring inclusive and sustainable economic progress.
Ultimately, the forums are about more than immediate business growth. They represent a step toward reshaping Uganda’s private sector into one that is competitive, sustainable, and capable of thriving in both local and international markets.
For entrepreneurs in Masaka, Mbarara, and Fort Portal, the sessions have already provided a taste of the opportunities ahead. As the forums expand to more regions, Absa Bank Uganda is positioning itself as a key partner in unlocking the potential of Uganda’s most vital economic sector.
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