Financial Sector Development (Banking, Microfinance, SACCOs and VSLAs)

Friends Consult is a trusted financial sector development consulting firm in Uganda, with over 25 years of experience strengthening the financial systems, regulatory frameworks, institutions and market infrastructure that underpin a healthy and inclusive financial sector across East Africa.

A well-functioning financial sector is the engine of economic growth. It channels savings into productive investment, manages risk, facilitates trade and extends access to financial services to individuals and businesses that need them. Friends Consult has been at the centre of Uganda’s financial sector development story since 1997.

Our Financial Sector Development Services

Regulatory & Policy Reform

We provide technical advisory to financial sector regulators, central banks and government ministries on regulatory reform — including banking regulation, microfinance regulation, tier 4 financial institutions, digital financial services and consumer protection frameworks. Our work has directly informed policy and legislation in Uganda and The Gambia.

Financial Sector Research & Analysis

We conduct rigorous financial sector research — including sector performance benchmarks, market studies, competitive landscape analyses and sector deepening diagnostics. Our research provides the evidence base for regulatory decisions, donor programming and private sector investment.

Institutional Capacity Building

We build the capacity of financial institutions — banks, microfinance institutions, SACCOs and insurance companies — through training, coaching and advisory on governance, risk management, financial management, product development and operational efficiency.

Financial Infrastructure Development

We support the development of financial sector infrastructure — including credit bureaus, payment systems, deposit guarantee schemes and sector associations — that enable the financial sector to function more efficiently and serve more customers.

Financial Inclusion Programming

We design and evaluate financial inclusion programmes targeting underserved populations — including smallholder farmers, women, youth, refugees and rural communities — across Uganda and East Africa.

DFI & Donor Programme Support

We work extensively with development finance institutions and international donors — including aBi Finance, IFC, USAID, FCDO, GIZ, KfW and the African Development Bank — supporting programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in the financial sector.

Our Track Record

Key assignments include: banking regulatory reform support for the Uganda Bankers’ Association and Bank of Uganda; PROFIRA (Project for Financial Inclusion in Rural Areas); B-FINE refugee financial inclusion programme; financial sector benchmarks for FSD Uganda; agricultural finance development for JICA, aBi Finance and GIZ; and regulatory frameworks development in The Gambia. We have worked with virtually every major financial institution in Uganda and have deep relationships across the sector.

Core Focus Areas

• Training, Coaching and Mentorship
• Digital Finance / Fintechs
• Impact Finance
• Access to Finance
• Refugee Finance
• Financial Literacy
• Market Research; Analysis, Evaluation and Linkages
• Product Development
• Needs Assessment and Strengthening
• Diagnostic Assessment
• Policy Development and Reviews
• Strategic and Business Plans Development

Ready to strengthen your financial sector work? Contact Friends Consult