Experts say financial institutions to prefer extending short term loans. New accounting standard will make loans, insurance more expensive Kampala, Uganda | ISSAC KHISA | Uganda’s banking and insurance industries are envisaging good times ahead as they embrace the new global accounting standards effective this year. The bad news is that borrowers …
Read More »Banks rollout agent banking
The new banking model is expected to deepen financial inclusion Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | Uganda’s commercial banks have started rolling out agent banking following Kenya and Rwanda’s footsteps in an effort to grow deposits and customer base. This follows the coming into force of the Financial Institutions Act …
Read More »UK to hand out £330m from dormant bank accounts
London, United Kingdom | AFP | The British government announced plans Thursday to distribute £330 million ($447 million, 371 million euros) taken from dormant bank accounts to good causes, bringing the total handed out to almost £700 million. The Dormant Accounts Scheme was established in 2008, allowing the reallocation of money …
Read More »THE INDEPENDENT: Why BOU bosses’ fight isn’t helpful
COVER Saving Bank of Uganda: Why Kasekende, Bagyenda, Mutebile fight isn’t helpful THE LAST WORD Why our nations remain poor: African elites are victims of their own delusions about distorted history of developed countries. POLITICS Justice Kasule’s decent proposal on elections: Why not have regional Supreme Court to decide petitions? …
Read More »COMMENT: Banking on the unbanked
By ignoring poor people’s needs, financial institutions are overlooking a massive potential market COMMENT | REETA ROY | In a sea of gloomy news, one bright headline appears on the horizon. The World Bank’s latest figures on individuals’ bank accounts, to be released early next year, are expected to show that …
Read More »EU to vote on relocation of agencies after Brexit
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | The fight for some of the most prized spoils of Brexit comes to a climax on Monday when 27 EU states pick the new host cities for two London-based regulatory agencies. In a process only half-jokingly compared to the Eurovision Song Contest, ministers will vote …
Read More »KCB set to roll out agency banking
Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | Regional lender, KCB, is set to rollout agency banking by close of the year as it strives to grow profitability. This follows the lender’s approval from the Bank of Uganda, two weeks ago, in line with the new Financial Institutions (amendment) Act. Joram Kiarie, the …
Read More »COMMENT: Banks partnering for housing
The role of commercial banks and real estate developers are changing to create affordable housing for Ugandans COMMENT | Jackson Emanzi | Uganda’s population is projected to grow from an estimated 37 million people today to 41.2 million by 2020 (Uganda Bureau of Statistics). Under Goal 11 of the United …
Read More »Sudan receives first US dollar transfers since sanctions lifted
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudan’s central bank said Wednesday it had received its first overseas fund transfer in US dollars since Washington announced the lifting of a 20-year-old trade embargo against Khartoum. Washington last week announced the lifting of sanctions from this Thursday onwards, saying Khartoum had made progress on …
Read More »Bank of Uganda cuts CBR to 9.5%
Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Bank of Uganda Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, has October 03, announced a reduction in the Central Bank Rate (CBR) by 0.5 percentage points to 9.5% for the next three months. The CBR is the rate of interest which a central bank charges on loans and advances to commercial banks. The …
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