Finance Trust Bank

Finance Trust Bank (FTB), commonly known as Finance Trust, is a Ugandan financial institution headquartered in Kampala. Its origins lie in Uganda Women's Finance Trust Limited, established in 1984 to extend financial services to low-income Ugandans, with a particular emphasis on women who were underserved by the formal banking system. The institution later operated as Uganda Finance Trust Limited, a Tier III microfinance deposit-taking institution supervised by the Bank of Uganda, before receiving a full commercial banking licence on 11 November 2013 and adopting the Finance Trust Bank name. The institution's historic identity has been closely associated with financial inclusion, community-based banking and access to savings and credit outside Uganda's largest urban centres. Its customer base has continued to include a substantial proportion of women; according to the referenced account, women represented approximately 60 percent of customers. Finance Trust has offered services to individual savers, small businesses, corporate customers and borrowers through branch banking and interconnected delivery infrastructure. By 2021, the bank reported more than 500,000 savers and over 29,000 borrowers. Its branch network included 34 interconnected locations distributed across Uganda's central, eastern, northern and western regions, with outlets in Kampala and in towns such as Arua, Entebbe, Jinja, Mbale, Mbarara, Masaka, Soroti and Tororo. Its typical banking activities have included deposit accounts, personal and business lending, retail banking, corporate banking and other financial services associated with a regulated Ugandan bank. Finance Trust's later history has been shaped by capital requirements and a proposed change in ownership. In January 2024, Nigeria-based Access Bank Group agreed to acquire an 80 percent shareholding in FTB, subject to approvals from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Bank of Uganda and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). COMESA approved the transaction in May 2024, but completion was delayed and reportedly postponed several times. The proposed transaction involved acquiring shares from existing institutional shareholders and injecting additional capital, with the intended outcome of creating an Access Bank Uganda operation after all approvals and closing steps were completed. The delayed transaction coincided with continuing capitalization pressure. The Bank of Uganda granted FTB a transition period from 1 January 2026 through 31 March 2026 to cease operating as a Tier I commercial bank and operate instead as a Tier II credit company. The change reflected the institution's capital position and the regulatory category it could meet at that time. Accordingly, Finance Trust's current institutional position is best understood as a Ugandan financial-services brand in transition rather than simply as an unchanged commercial bank. The referenced figures indicate total assets of UGX 465.47 billion and shareholders' equity of UGX 68.59 billion at 31 December 2023; assets were reported at UGX 551 billion and equity at UGX 78.94 billion at 31 December 2024, rising to UGX 668 billion in assets and UGX 92.3 billion in equity at 31 December 2025. These figures are historical snapshots and do not by themselves establish the institution's post-transition financial condition.

Finance Trust Bank began in 1984 as Uganda Women's Finance Trust Limited. Its founding purpose was to improve access to finance for low-income Ugandans, particularly women, who faced barriers to conventional banking. This social and inclusion-oriented foundation remained important to the institution's identity as it expanded its customer and service base. The organization subsequently adopted the name Uganda Finance Trust Limited and operated as a Tier III financial institution. In that phase it was recognized as a microfinance deposit-taking institution under Bank of Uganda supervision. The model combined savings mobilization with lending and was intended to serve customers who were often outside the main commercial banking market. A major institutional change occurred on 11 November 2013, when the Bank of Uganda granted the organization a full commercial banking licence. Following the licence, it rebranded as Finance Trust Bank. The new status allowed the institution to operate within the commercial banking framework while retaining its established focus on retail customers, small businesses, women and financially underserved communities. During the following years, Finance Trust developed a geographically broad branch network. By April 2022, it maintained 34 interconnected branches. These included its head office and several Kampala outlets, together with branches in regional centres and districts across Uganda. The network extended to places including Arua, Busia, Entebbe, Fort Portal, Iganga, Jinja, Masaka, Mbale, Mbarara, Mukono, Soroti, Tororo and other towns. The distribution supported a nationwide rather than purely Kampala-based operating model. At 31 December 2021, the institution was reported to serve more than 500,000 savers and over 29,000 borrowers. The customer profile continued to reflect its founding mission: women were reported to account for approximately 60 percent of customers. Its activities included deposits, lending and banking services for individuals, businesses and corporate customers. The next major phase involved a proposed change in ownership. In January 2024, Access Bank Group of Nigeria entered into an agreement to acquire 80 percent of Finance Trust Bank. The arrangement contemplated purchases from existing institutional shareholders and a capital injection intended to strengthen the bank. It required approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Bank of Uganda and COMESA. COMESA approved the transaction in May 2024, but the overall deal was delayed for more than two years and postponed several times according to the referenced account. The proposed post-transaction structure was expected to support the creation of an Access Bank Uganda operation, although the referenced material does not establish that the transaction had fully closed. Capitalization became a defining issue during this period. Finance Trust remained undercapitalized while the acquisition process continued. At the request of the bank's board, the Bank of Uganda allowed a defined transition from commercial-bank status to Tier II credit-company status, running from 1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026. This regulatory step reflected the capital requirements that the institution could meet at that time and marked a significant change from its 2013 commercial banking licence. The available financial snapshots show growth in reported balance-sheet size despite the capitalization pressure. Total assets were stated at UGX 465.47 billion and shareholders' equity at UGX 68.59 billion at the end of 2023; the corresponding 2024 figures were UGX 551 billion and UGX 78.94 billion, while 2025 figures were UGX 668 billion and UGX 92.3 billion. These amounts are period-specific reported figures and should not be interpreted as evidence that the ownership transaction or regulatory transition had been completed. Finance Trust Bank's history therefore combines a long-standing financial-inclusion mission, expansion into commercial banking, nationwide branch development and a recent period of ownership and regulatory restructuring.

1. 2026Regulatory transition to Tier II credit-company status

   The Bank of Uganda provides a transition window from 1 January to 31 March 2026 for the institution to cease operating as a Tier I commercial bank and operate as a Tier II credit company.

   Source
2. 2024Access Bank Group signs proposed acquisition agreement

   Access Bank Group agrees to acquire an 80 percent stake, subject to regulatory approval and a planned capital injection.

   Source
3. 2024COMESA approves the proposed transaction

   COMESA clears the proposed acquisition and merger-related arrangement involving Finance Trust Bank and Access Bank Group.

   Source
4. 202234-branch interconnected network documented

   The bank maintains 34 interconnected branches across Kampala and Uganda's regions.

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5. 2021Large saver and borrower base reported

   The bank is reported to serve more than 500,000 savers and over 29,000 borrowers.

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6. 2013Full commercial banking licence granted

   On 11 November 2013, the Bank of Uganda grants the institution a full commercial banking licence, after which it adopts the Finance Trust Bank name.

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7. 1984Uganda Women's Finance Trust is established

   The institution is founded to provide financial services to low-income Ugandans, especially women.

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A Ugandan financial-inclusion institution with roots in women-focused microfinance, later expanded into nationwide commercial banking and now undergoing a regulatory and ownership transition.

• Retail bankingBanking services

  Finance Trust's retail business serves individual customers through savings, deposits, lending and branch-based financial services. The offering reflects the institution's original inclusion mission and its later commercial-bank role. Its customer base has historically included a substantial proportion of women and low-income customers.

• Savings and deposit servicesDeposits

  Savings and deposit-taking are central to Finance Trust's operating model. The institution developed from a microfinance deposit-taking organization and later continued mobilizing savings through a nationwide interconnected branch network serving urban and regional Ugandan customers.

• Personal and business lendingCredit

  The bank provides credit services to individuals and businesses, including borrowers reached through its retail and community-oriented network. The available reference material identifies lending as a core activity but does not specify individual loan products, pricing, eligibility rules or current product names.

• Corporate bankingBusiness banking

  Finance Trust also serves corporate and institutional customers. Its corporate-banking scope is described at a high level in the available material; detailed information about treasury, payments, trade finance or sector-specific solutions is not established by the supplied references.

• 2026Regulatory downgrade and transition to a Tier II credit institutionStrategy

  Finance Trust remained undercapitalized while the proposed acquisition process continued. Its board requested a transition arrangement from the Bank of Uganda.

  What changed. The Bank of Uganda granted a period from 1 January through 31 March 2026 for the institution to cease operating as a Tier I commercial bank and operate as a Tier II credit company.

  Aftermath. The institution moved into a different regulatory category based on the capital requirements it could meet at the time. The longer-term outcome depends on the ownership transaction and subsequent capitalization.

  Source
• 2024Proposed acquisition by Access Bank GroupM&A

  Access Bank Group sought an 80 percent stake in Finance Trust Bank as the Ugandan institution faced a need to strengthen its capital base.

  What changed. The parties agreed to a binding transaction involving the purchase of shares from existing institutional shareholders and a planned capital injection, subject to regulatory approvals.

  Aftermath. COMESA approved the transaction in May 2024, but completion was delayed and postponed several times. The referenced material does not confirm final closing.

  Source
• 2013Transition from microfinance institution to commercial bankStrategy

  The institution had operated as Uganda Finance Trust Limited, a Tier III microfinance deposit-taking institution, before seeking broader commercial banking status.

  What changed. After receiving a full commercial banking licence from the Bank of Uganda on 11 November 2013, it rebranded as Finance Trust Bank.

  Aftermath. The change expanded the institution's regulatory and operating framework while preserving its financial-inclusion heritage.

  Source

• 2026Finance Trust Bank receives a transition period to become a Tier II credit institution

  The Bank of Uganda granted Finance Trust Bank a period from 1 January through 31 March 2026 to transition from a Tier I commercial bank to a Tier II credit company because of capitalization issues.

  Regulation
  Source
• 2024Access Bank Group agrees to acquire 80 percent of Finance Trust Bank

  Nigeria-based Access Bank Group agreed to acquire an 80 percent shareholding in Finance Trust Bank, subject to approvals from relevant banking and regional regulators. The proposed transaction also included a capital injection.

  M&A
  Source
• 2024COMESA approves the proposed Finance Trust Bank transaction

  COMESA approved the proposed acquisition and merger-related transaction involving Finance Trust Bank and Access Bank Group in May 2024.

  M&ARegulation
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1. Finance Trust Bank