Banking
Ugandans to Enjoy More Affordable Banking Services
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The banking public in Uganda will soon begin to enjoy more affordable banking services due to the partnership between Interswitch and Equity Bank.
A statement from the Nigerian firm said citizens of the East African country would have affordable banking services at over 650 Interswitch-enabled ATMs belonging to 17 local banks in Uganda.
This has reduced the cost of transacting at ATMs and merchant locations by over 60 per cent, according to the Country General Manager for Interswitch Uganda, Mr Peter Kawumi,
For example, the cost of withdrawals for Equity Bank customers at Interswitch-enabled ATMs, as well as customers of other financial institutions at Equity Bank ATMs, will be lower.
In addition, the deal will enable Equity Bank’s ATM machines to accept bank cards of other local participating banks and institutions on the Interswitch network.
Equity Bank also becomes an acquirer for Verve cards, adding to its wide portfolio of cards accepted by all countrywide Point-of-Sale (POS) machine locations and ATMs. There are approximately 250,000 Verve card holders in Uganda.
“This partnership demonstrates an interesting shift in attaining service quality and competitive advantage. By joining the Interswitch network, Equity Bank will benefit from the entire ecosystem, including all the other financial institutions and their consumers in Uganda and across the region. In this way, Equity Bank has achieved two key things,” Mr Kawumi said at a press launch held on Wednesday, June 7, at Sheraton Hotels in Kampala.
“Once more, we reiterate our commitment to making payment more accessible, convenient and affordable for Africans.
“Our partnership with Equity Bank enhances the interoperability efforts of the Ugandan financial industry and banking sector.
“The restriction across inter-bank payment channels in Uganda is further reduced. This partnership reiterates our capacity to support the expansion plans of our partners in Nigeria and other countries into other regions,” the founder of Interswitch Group, Mitchell Elegbe, said.
On his part, the Managing Director of Equity Bank, Mr Anthony Kituuka, said, “We are delighted and proud of our rapid growth and expansion in Uganda over the last 15 years, bringing us to 50 branches, 7,000 Equi Duuka agents and over 6,500 merchants.
“This new partnership with Interswitch will support the existing network, allow us to serve our customers better and meet their financial needs right at their doorsteps.
“Even as the bank continues to grow, we are committed to offering Ugandans a great customer experience with various tailor-made products that speak to their financial needs.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
An initiative known as Nigeria Lightning Rounds, designed to expand funding opportunities for Nigerian startups and small businesses by connecting founders with local and international investors, has been launched by ProvidusUnity Bank, in partnership with US-based global venture firm and accelerator, gener8tor.
Scheduled to be held on July 15, 2026, Nigeria Lightning Rounds will feature carefully selected startups engaging with targeted investors who have expressed interest in supporting Nigerian innovation.
Participating founders will have the opportunity to pitch their businesses through focused 15-minute virtual sessions facilitated by gener8tor and ProvidusUnity Bank’s networks.
The program will focus on high-growth sectors including fintech, healthtech, manufacturing, sustainability, and AI, but welcomes SMEs from all industries, with intending participants urged to apply via https://www.gener8tor.com/lightning-rounds/nigeria.
“We recognise that access to capital remains one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Through our partnership with gener8tor, we are creating a platform that connects promising Nigerian founders with investors who can provide the support required to scale their businesses,” the Head of Business Development at ProvidusUnity Bank, Mr Ernest Elue, stated.
“The partnership reinforces ProvidusUnity Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting innovation, enabling access to opportunities, and creating pathways for businesses with high-growth potential,” he added.
Also commenting, the Director of Lightning Rounds at gener8tor, Ms Elizabeth Larios, said, “gener8tor is thrilled to partner with ProvidusUnity Bank to extend the Lightning Rounds model into Nigeria.
“This collaboration reflects our commitment to building equitable ecosystems and driving capital to the most promising and underrepresented entrepreneurs.”
Lightning Rounds are a signature initiative of gener8tor’s investment platform, which has facilitated thousands of investor-startup meetings globally. The format is optimised to eliminate friction, reduce bias in early-stage fundraising, and help founders secure capital from investors aligned with their mission and stage. gener8tor’s previous Lightning Rounds for Nigerian Founders in 2025 featured 18 participating Investors and led to 50 investment meetings facilitated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The verification of the depositors of the 46 microfinance banks, whose operating licenses were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over a week ago, has commenced.
The exercise, aimed at refunding those whose funds were trapped in the small lenders, is being conducted by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).
In a statement on Thursday, the agency said its staff members have been positioned at the offices of the affected banks across the country to attend to depositors.
It was disclosed that depositors of the defunct banks, who had their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) linked to their accounts in the failed banks, will be paid through their alternative accounts in existing banks.
However, depositors whose BVNs were not linked to their accounts in the failed banks have been encouraged to visit the affected banks’ offices with proof of account ownership, a passport photograph, verifiable means of identification (Driver’s Licence, Permanent Voter’s Card, International Passport or National ID Card) and BVN.
NDIC also stated that depositors can alternatively file their claims online through its website: www.ndic.gov.ng, to complete the Pre-Verification Claims Form by clicking on the Search Bar, and typing Pre-Verification Claims Form; opening the Form and filling in their details. They can also do so by clicking the link: https://ndic.gov.ng/ndic-pre-verification-claims-form/ or by visiting any of the NDIC offices closest to them to file their claims.
For further enquiries, the corporation can be reached on any of the following lines: 09037273810, 09038197064, 08104220807, 09064657140.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolment has slowed significantly in 2026 following the introduction of a stricter regulatory framework by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with the latest data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) showing that registrations are on course to fall well below last year’s record.
The BVN database stood at 69.55 million as of July 5, 2026, up from 69.32 million in June, indicating that only 228,947 new registrations were recorded over the period. Since the end of 2025, when the database stood at 67.8 million, total enrolments have increased by 1.75 million.
At the current pace, however, BVN registrations are unlikely to match the 4.3 million new enrolments recorded in 2025, suggesting a sharp deceleration in growth this year.
The slowdown comes after the CBN introduced a revised BVN regulatory framework in March, with the new rules taking effect on May 1, 2026. The framework tightened controls around enrolment, identity verification and fraud monitoring as part of efforts to strengthen the integrity of the banking system.
Among the key changes was the introduction of a minimum enrolment age of 18 years, effectively preventing minors from registering for a BVN.
The new framework also limits customers to a one-time change of the phone number linked to their BVN and requires financial institutions to place BVNs linked to suspected fraudulent transactions on a temporary watch-list for up to 24 hours while investigations are carried out.
The stricter rules contrast with last year’s surge in registrations, which was largely driven by the introduction of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative that enabled Nigerians in the diaspora to complete BVN enrolment remotely, removing physical barriers and expanding access to the financial system.
Launched on February 14, 2014, the BVN scheme was introduced by the CBN in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, NIBSS and German technology firm Dermalog to assign every bank customer a unique biometric identity that can be verified across Nigeria’s banking industry.
