aBi in its continued endeavor to support Agribusiness development and financial Inclusion in Uganda contacted FRIENDS Consult LTD (FCL) to map financial services providers in Northern and Eastern Uganda. This would inform aBi interventions in these areas while exploring opportunities for promoting financial inclusion among the refugee population in the West Nile region. FCL undertook the following activities during the assignment:
- Mapped financial services providers (FSPs) in Northern and Eastern Uganda. A total of 5 commercial banks (Tier 1), 1 Credit Institution (Tier 2), 3 MDIs (Tier 3), 8 Credit Only (MFIs) and 159 SACCOs (tier 4).
- Analyzed mapped FSPs and made recommended Interventions using a priority list. The analysis of the mapped FSPs focused on their financial performance, ownership, governance and management structures, including identification of technical assistance gaps.
aBi adopted recommendations made by FCL and has now identified FSPs thereby creating new opportunities for farmers, traders, and other rural businesses to expand their operations and increase their incomes using AVCF rather than the traditional lending mechanisms.