The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), in partnership with the Bank of Uganda (BoU) has launched the pilot phase of the Okusevinga Money Market Unit Trust Scheme, an initiative aimed at widening access to safe and affordable investment opportunities for Ugandans.
The pilot phase commenced on December 17, 2025, marking a major milestone in Uganda’s financial sector as Okusevinga becomes Africa’s first government-owned unit trust scheme. T
The initiative represents a strategic shift from merely expanding access to financial services to enabling meaningful participation in savings and investment.
According to MoFPED, Okusevinga builds on Uganda’s significant progress in financial inclusion, with 81 percent of adults now having access to financial services, largely driven by the widespread adoption of mobile money, as reported in the FinScope Uganda 2023 Survey.
“While access to financial services has expanded significantly, many Ugandans continue to save informally, which limits their ability to earn returns and build long-term financial resilience,” the ministry said.
The Okusevinga scheme has been designed to bridge this gap by allowing individuals to invest small amounts directly into regulated money market and bond funds using a simple, mobile-based platform. Through the platform, small savers will be linked to professionally managed, low-risk investment instruments.
The pilot phase will involve a limited group of participants who will test the platform’s full functionality, including registration, investment transactions and balance inquiries. Officials say the controlled rollout will help validate system performance, enhance consumer protection measures and improve the user experience before a nationwide rollout.
“The pilot reflects a prudent, phased approach to innovation, ensuring the platform operates efficiently, securely and in full compliance with regulatory standards before it is made available to the wider public,” MoFPED and BoU noted.
Authorities expect Okusevinga to strengthen household financial health while also contributing to the development of deeper domestic capital markets and supporting sustainable economic growth.
The pilot phase is being implemented with support from several partners, including the Capital Markets Authority, Uganda Communications Commission, National Information Technology Authority, Financial Sector Deepening Uganda, Uganda Investment Authority and Airtel Uganda.
As implementation continues, MoFPED and the Bank of Uganda will intensify stakeholder engagement, strengthen financial literacy initiatives and prepare for the next phase of the project.
The public will be informed in due course about the full launch of Okusevinga and how Ugandans can participate, ahead of the planned nationwide rollout in early 2026.
