Kampala, Uganda – Pesapal Uganda, a leading payments and business solutions provider in East Africa, has announced a strategic partnership with Pezesha to pilot a credit facility for merchants in Uganda.
This initiative reinforces Pesapal’s commitment to advancing financial inclusion at a time when nearly 60% of Ugandan adults remain excluded from formal credit systems, and SMEs face significant financing gaps. By extending access to affordable, data-driven credit, Pesapal is supporting small businesses—which make up over 90% of the private sector and provide the majority of employment in Uganda.
The initiative aligns with the Bank of Uganda’s vision and the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (2023–2028), which emphasizes expanding access to affordable financial services, promoting responsible digital lending, and strengthening Uganda’s digital economy. Through this partnership, Pesapal is positioning itself not just as a payments provider but as a trusted growth partner enabling merchants to scale sustainably as part of the country’s broader economic transformation.
Gradual Rollout for Responsible Lending
The pilot program will be introduced gradually, starting with a select group of Pesapal merchants. This phased rollout is designed to ensure a seamless experience, encourage responsible borrowing, and incorporate key learnings before wider implementation.
By collaborating with Pezesha to embed credit into its platform, Pesapal is addressing one of the most critical barriers facing Ugandan SMEs: access to affordable working capital. Pezesha, through its proprietary credit scoring engine Patascore, assesses merchant eligibility and assigns appropriate credit limits. The platform leverages real transaction data from Pesapal—including sales volume, seasonality, and repayment history—to offer SMEs flexible, right-sized financing without requiring traditional collateral.
This empowers businesses to bridge short-term cash flow gaps, restock inventory faster, and grow sustainably with confidence.
Key Benefits for Pesapal Merchants
Through the partnership, merchants on the Pesapal platform will be able to:
- Improve cash flow with timely access to credit
- Restock faster and meet customer demand without disruption
- Scale confidently, knowing they have financial backing to support growth
Martin Barungi, Country Director, Pesapal Uganda, said:
“We are excited to partner with Pezesha to bring this innovative credit solution to our merchants in Uganda. Many small and medium businesses face challenges accessing financing, which often slows their growth. By embedding credit directly into our payments platform, we are empowering merchants to unlock new opportunities and strengthen their businesses.”
Jessica Tusiime, Operations Manager, Pezesha, added:
“At Pezesha, our mission is to close the financing gap for SMEs across Africa. Partnering with Pesapal allows us to reach thousands of merchants with affordable and responsible credit, enabling them to build resilience and thrive in today’s competitive market.”
Enabling SME Growth in Uganda
Access to affordable credit remains one of the biggest barriers to SME growth in Uganda. While digital payments adoption has accelerated, many businesses still struggle with cash flow gaps that hinder their ability to restock, expand, or manage operations effectively.
By embedding credit directly into the Pesapal platform, this initiative offers merchants not only a way to accept and manage payments, but also the financing tools needed to grow sustainably.
This partnership directly supports Uganda’s financial inclusion agenda by prioritizing access, affordability, and responsible lending—and solidifies Pesapal’s role as a catalyst for SME growth and national economic development.
About Pesapal Uganda Limited
Pesapal Uganda provides simple, safe, and secure payment and business solutions across East Africa. With a presence in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Rwanda, Pesapal empowers merchants with tools to accept payments, access financing, manage operations, and grow sustainably.
Website: www.pesapal.com
About Pezesha
Pezesha is a Pan-African fintech company offering a digital embedded finance platform that connects capital and financial services to underserved MSMEs. To date, Pezesha has empowered over 1 million businesses across 20+ value chains with affordable working capital and inventory financing. Pezesha is regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya and the Bank of Uganda, with further East African expansion underway.
Website: www.pezesha.com
