Bank of Uganda

What Bank of Uganda does

Bank of Uganda is the central bank of Uganda, established in 1966 under the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and the Bank of Uganda Act (Cap 51), with a statutory mandate to achieve and maintain price stability and ensure a sound financial system in support of balanced and sustainable economic growth. The institution functions as monetary authority, financial system regulator, and currency issuer, led by Governor Michael Atingi-Ego. Its operational scope spans monetary policy implementation (maintaining a Central Bank Rate of 9.75% across six consecutive meetings as of mid-2026), oversight of commercial banks, microfinance institutions, mobile money operators, and SACCOs, and management of the Uganda National Interbank Settlement System (UNISS).

The institution does not operate a traditional revenue model; its funding flows from the Government of Uganda and its activities are policy-driven rather than commercial. Core technology infrastructure includes the UNISS settlement system, regulatory reporting platforms, and a growing portfolio of public-facing data products such as the interactive remittance dashboard launched jointly with IFAD in April 2026 to provide transparency over the $2.5 billion in remittance inflows recorded in 2025. Research output is substantial, with six working papers published in 2026 covering sentiment analysis, nowcasting, systemic risk measurement, and monetary policy transmission.

Bank of Uganda serves a broad constituency: the entire Ugandan population as beneficiaries of price stability and financial inclusion, the regulated banking sector as the primary channel for monetary policy transmission, rural and underserved populations targeted through digital financial services (36.3 million active mobile money users, $100.3 billion in electronic money transactions in 2025), and the oil and gas sector ahead of first production in 2026. Strategic partners include the Central Bank of Kenya, Bank of Tanzania, National Bank of Rwanda, Banque de la République du Burundi, Bank of South Sudan, GCB Bank (Ghana), Financial Sector Deepening Uganda, the Ministry of Finance, and the Capital Markets Authority, supporting a regional integration agenda across East Africa.

Name

Bank of Uganda

Legal name

Bank of Uganda

Website

https://bou.or.ug

Company type

Public

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Bank of Uganda, established in 1966, is Uganda's central bank mandated to maintain price stability and a sound financial system. It implements monetary policy, regulates the banking and mobile money sectors, and oversees financial inclusion initiatives serving Uganda's economy and population.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Central Banking

NAICS

Monetary Authorities-Central Bank (52111), Monetary Authorities-Central Bank (521), Monetary Authorities-Central Bank (521110), Monetary Authorities-Central Bank (5211)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

Central Bank Reserve Management (FSAAAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Central Government Policy, Strategy & Performance (incl. OMB-style functions) (BPAIAAAB)

Keywords

• Monetary policy implementation
• Central banking services
• Financial system regulation
• Currency issuance management
• Payment systems oversight

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Bank of Uganda is the central bank of Uganda, operating under the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and the Bank of Uganda Act (Cap 51). Its fundamental mandate is to achieve and maintain price stability in support of balanced and sustainable economic growth. It formulates and implements monetary policy, issues and manages the national currency, supervises and regulates banking and non-bank financial institutions, operates the national payments system, and runs financial inclusion and credit schemes for underserved populations.

Product overview

Bank of Uganda is a central bank whose primary functions are monetary policy, financial system stability, and financial sector regulation rather than a commercial technology product provider. The institution publishes economic reports, maintains the Central Bank Rate, and oversees credit schemes and financial inclusion initiatives. It does not appear to offer commercial products or services in the traditional sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interactive Remittance Dashboard An interactive data dashboard providing comprehensive remittance inflow and outflow data for Uganda, designed for policymakers, researchers, and the public. Launched jointly with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to strengthen regulatory oversight and financial inclusion for migrants and rural families.
• T-Bills and Bonds Calculator An online calculator tool hosted on the Bank of Uganda website enabling investors and the public to compute returns on Treasury Bills and Treasury Bonds issued by the Government of Uganda.
• Credit Schemes, Financial Inclusion and Financial Literacy Programs Bank of Uganda's credit schemes and financial inclusion initiatives targeting rural and underserved populations, paired with financial literacy education aimed at expanding access to formal banking and digital financial services.
• Monetary Policy Rate (Central Bank Rate) and 7-Day Interbank Rate Monitoring Bank of Uganda's primary monetary policy instruments and the published reference rates for Uganda's banking system. The Central Bank Rate stood at 9.75% as of the most recent policy meeting, with rates displayed via Power BI dashboards on the BoU website for use by banks, investors, and analysts.
• Banking Sector Licensing and Supervision Statutory licensing and ongoing prudential supervision of commercial banks, microfinance institutions, MDIs, and SACCOs in Uganda. Includes issuance of licenses (e.g., SAO Zirobwe SACCO licensed on 15 June 2026), compliance monitoring, and enforcement of prudential regulations under the Bank of Uganda Act (Cap 51).
• Uganda National Interbank Settlement System (UNISS) The national interbank settlement system operated by Bank of Uganda, providing real-time gross settlement infrastructure for interbank payments and serving as the backbone of Uganda's payment systems. Referenced in BoU Working Paper 04/2026 on measuring systemic importance under liquidity stress.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026IFAD and Bank of Uganda jointly launched an interactive remittance dashboard to provide comprehensive data on Uganda's remittance inflows and outflows. Uganda recorded over 16 million remittance transactions worth US$2.5 billion in 2025.
• Central Bank of KenyacoreTechnology or IntegrationCentral bank partnerships for regional financial market cooperation and integration across African financial institutions.
• National Bank of RwandacoreTechnology or IntegrationCentral bank partnership focused on strengthening financial stability and economic growth through regional cooperation.
• Bank of TanzaniacoreTechnology or IntegrationRegional central bank partnership for cross-border financial system integration.
• Banque de la République du BurundicoreTechnology or IntegrationRegional partnership with Burundi's central bank for financial market cooperation.
• Bank of South SudancoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with South Sudan's central bank for regional financial integration.
• Uganda Bankers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with local banking industry association to strengthen financial sector.
• Ministry of Finance (MoFPED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Uganda's Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for coordinated financial sector development.
• Uganda Investment AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Uganda Investment Authority for investment promotion and financial sector development.
• Capital Markets AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for capital markets development and regulation in Uganda.
• Deposit Protection Fund of UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with deposit protection agency for financial system stability.
• Financial Sector Deepening Uganda (FSDU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSDU, in partnership with the Bank of Uganda, has led initiatives expanding access to formal banking services to millions of Ugandans, driving financial sector transformation through public-private coordination.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Central Bank of Kenya: Central Bank of Kenya is the monetary authority of Kenya and BoU's most direct regional counterpart, with whom BoU maintains an active partnership for cross-border financial market cooperation and integration. Both institutions share mandate, scale, and East African economic context.
• Bank of Tanzania: Bank of Tanzania is the central bank of Tanzania and a direct regional peer to BoU, with formal partnership arrangements focused on regional financial system integration. Both institutions operate monetary policy in comparable East African economies with overlapping currency and trade dynamics.
• National Bank of Rwanda: National Bank of Rwanda is Rwanda's central bank and a direct regional peer with whom BoU has an active partnership for strengthening financial stability and economic growth. Both operate monetary policy frameworks in small, fast-growing East African economies with high mobile money penetration.
• Banque de la République du Burundi: Banque de la République du Burundi is Burundi's central bank and a direct regional peer that BoU partners with on regional financial market cooperation. Both share institutional history, currency management challenges, and operate in closely-linked East African economies.

Broad incumbents

• Central Bank of Nigeria: Central Bank of Nigeria is a much larger African central bank serving Africa's largest economy. It is broadly comparable as a Sub-Saharan African monetary authority facing similar mobile money, financial inclusion, and FX management dynamics, but operates at significantly greater scale and complexity.
• Bank of Ghana: Bank of Ghana is Ghana's central bank and a broad regional peer across West Africa, with whom BoU has engaged in knowledge-exchange visits covering treasury and capital markets operations. Comparable as an Anglophone African central bank managing mobile money, financial inclusion, and inflation targeting.
• South African Reserve Bank: South African Reserve Bank is Africa's most developed central bank and a broad incumbent peer. Comparable as a Sub-Saharan monetary authority with advanced policy frameworks, though operating at far greater scale, sophistication, and capital market depth than BoU.

Emerging players

• Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe: Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is another Sub-Saharan African central bank facing parallel challenges of currency management, mobile money growth, and financial inclusion. Comparable as a peer monetary authority in a structurally similar emerging African economy, though distinct in its recent currency volatility experience.
• Bank of South Sudan: Bank of South Sudan is South Sudan's central bank and an explicit BoU partner for regional financial integration. Comparable as an East African monetary authority, though significantly less developed institutionally than BoU, providing BoU with a near-peer emerging-market central bank relationship.

Others

• Federal Reserve System: The Federal Reserve is the U.S. central bank and the global benchmark for monetary policy frameworks. While not directly comparable in scale or geography, it provides a broad reference point for monetary policy instruments, payments modernization, and central bank reserve management practices that BoU adapts in its own policy design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BOU_Official
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgvesqo8ybjpkW1Fd7c6Gvg
• Facebookfacebook.com/CentralBankofUganda
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bank-of-uganda
• Instagraminstagram.com/bankofuganda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bank of Uganda