Country guides

Launching mobile money in Uganda

Uganda has a large mobile money market led by two operators, and a payments law from 2020 that opened the market to new licensed providers. The Bank of Uganda (BoU) licenses e-money issuers as payment service providers.

This guide is also available in:English Français العربية

Merchant payments, school fees, savings groups and agricultural payments are where new providers find room next to the operators.

A white-label wallet lets a bank, MFI or SACCO bring its members onto mobile money under its own name, with agents and USSD for rural customers.

The rules in brief

Regulator: Bank of Uganda (BoU)
Main texts: National Payment Systems Act, 2020, and the National Payment Systems Regulations, 2021
Licence routes: Payment service provider licence to issue e-money (section 47 of the Act)
Minimum capital: Set by regulation 8 of the 2021 Regulations: confirm the current amount with the BoU
Interoperability: Check the BoU's current interoperability rules
KYC and limits: Tiered KYC with limits set by the BoU
Currency: Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Summary of published texts, checked on 2026-10-16. Rules change: confirm the current text with the regulator or your lawyer before you apply.

Payment rails to connect

Mobile money: 2 main operators
Banks
Cards

UgandaCurrency: UGX

Methods in Uganda

Mobile money
The country's mobile money networks
Adapter ready
Cards
Debit and credit cards through your acquirer
Adapter ready
Wallet
Your own wallet (with our mobile money product)
Adapter ready

Payouts to: mobile money · bank account

Each row is a method type; the networks behind it are set up in your back office as you connect them. Cards go through the acquirer you choose. The list grows as you sign rails.

Launching with PesaBridge, step by step

Choose your licence route: your own licence, a partner bank or e-money issuer, or a licensed aggregator.

Build your proposal online: countries, payment rails and plan, in 10 minutes.

We set up the platform, your brand and the payment rails while you finish the licence file.

Test with a pilot group of customers, agents and merchants, and with the regulator where required.

Go live, recruit agents and merchants, and add services and countries as you grow.

Questions

Which licence do we need?

A payment service provider licence that allows you to issue e-money, or a partnership with a licensed provider or bank.

Can we collect school fees?

Yes. Schools can be merchants with their own till numbers, and parents pay from the wallet or USSD.

Can the apps run in Luganda?

Yes, Luganda and other languages can be added next to English.

Get a proposal for Uganda

Pick Uganda in the proposal builder and get your price, plan and timeline in 10 minutes.

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