On 17th December 2025, The Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) and the Bank of Uganda (BoU) commenced the pilot phase of the Okusevinga Money Market Unit Trust Scheme, a landmark initiative designed to expand access to safe and affordable investment opportunities for Ugandans.
Okusevinga is Africa’s first government-owned unit trust scheme and represents a strategic shift from expanding access to financial services towards enabling meaningful participation in savings and investment. The initiative builds on Uganda’s strong progress in financial inclusion, where 81% of adults now have access to financial services, according to the FinScope Uganda 2023 Survey, largely driven by widespread adoption of mobile money.
While access has grown, a significant proportion of Ugandans continue to save informally, limiting the ability of household savings to earn returns and contribute to long-term financial resilience. Okusevinga has been designed to bridge this gap by enabling individuals to invest small amounts directly into regulated money market and bond funds through a simple mobile-based platform.
The pilot phase will involve a limited group of participants who will test the end-to-end functionality of the platform, including registration, investment transactions, and balance inquiries. This controlled rollout is intended to validate system performance, strengthen consumer safeguards, and refine the user experience ahead of a broader public launch in early 2026.
The pilot is a prudent, phased approach to innovation, ensuring that the platform operates. efficiently, securely, and in compliance with regulatory standards before it is publicly made available.
By linking small savers to professionally managed, low-risk investment instruments, Okusevinga is expected to enhance financial health at the household level while contributing to deeper domestic capital markets and sustainable economic development.
The pilot has been supported by various partners, including the Capital Markets Authority, Uganda Communications Commission, National Information Technology Authority, Financial Sector Deepening Uganda, Uganda Investment Authority, and Airtel Uganda.
As the pilot phase progresses, MoFPED and BoU will continue to engage key stakeholders, strengthen financial literacy efforts, and prepare for the next phase of implementation. Further communication will be issued in due course to inform the public about the full launch and participation modalities.
