Absa Bank Uganda has launched a three-month SME Business Credit Campaign aimed at encouraging digital payments among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) while rewarding businesses that embrace cashless transactions.
Running from 15 October 2026 to 15 January 2027, the campaign will offer Shs66 million in cash prizes, with one customer winning Shs22 million each month for three months.
Existing and prospective business customers can qualify for the monthly draws by opening an active Absa Business Account and signing up for a Business Debit Card, or by spending at least Shs500,000 per month using their Business Debit Card at points of sale (POS) terminals or online. Each qualifying activity earns the customer one entry into the monthly draw.
Speaking at the launch, Moses Rutahigwa, Personal, Private and Business Banking Director at Absa Bank Uganda, said the campaign reflects Absa’s commitment to helping SMEs adopt simpler, safer and more efficient ways of managing business payments.
“Uganda’s businesses are operating in an increasingly digital economy, and that shift also needs to extend to how businesses manage their everyday expenditure. More businesses are embracing digital payments, demonstrating that more businesses are already embracing digital payments. Through this campaign, we want to accelerate that shift by giving SMEs another reason to use their Business Debit Cards for the transactions they make every day,” Rutahigwa said.
The campaign comes at a time when SMEs continue to play a significant role in Uganda’s economy. According to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Uganda has more than 1.8 million micro, small and medium enterprises in the informal sector alone, while MSMEs are estimated to contribute 54.5% of GDP and account for 92% of employment.
Uganda’s payments landscape is also continuing to shift towards digital channels. Bank of Uganda data shows that electronic-money transaction volumes increased by 17.3% in the year to December 2025, while transaction values grew by 28%, reflecting continued adoption of electronic payment methods.
This growth in digital payments is increasingly extending to day-to-day business transactions. At Absa, the value of transactions made using Business Debit Cards has grown by 18% over the past 12 months.
David Luyima, Head of Cards and Payments at Absa Bank Uganda, said increased card usage gives SMEs an opportunity to manage routine business expenditure more conveniently while maintaining greater visibility over their transactions.
“SMEs make payments every day, from purchasing stock and meeting operational expenses to paying for services and making online purchases. A Business Debit Card gives them a secure and convenient way to make many of these payments directly from their business account, while creating a transaction record that makes it easier to keep track of expenditure. The Shs22 million monthly prize gives businesses an additional incentive to make greater use of a payment tool that is already available to them.”
One qualifying customer will be selected each month to receive the cash prize, which will be credited directly to their active Absa Business Account. Existing and prospective business customers are eligible to participate, subject to the campaign terms and conditions
