Overview:
Centenary Bank and Service Cops announce a major partnership targeting the rapid acceleration of digital services and financial inclusion to benefit customers across Uganda and the wider African region.
Kampala — Centenary Bank has entered a strategic partnership with Service Cops Limited to significantly accelerate digital transformation and the rollout of new technology services in Uganda.
The agreement, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding, is aimed at rapidly enhancing financial inclusion and expanding access to modern digital platforms across the country and the wider region.
The collaboration will be managed by Centenary Technology Services (Cente-Tech) and links Centenary Bank’s four-decade history in social-impact financial services with Service Cops’ experience in enterprise technology and large-scale systems deployment.
Fabian Kasi, the managing director of Centenary Bank, stated that the partnership represents a critical step for Uganda’s financial technology sector. He emphasized that the integration of the bank’s customer insights with Service Cops’ technical skills would speed up digital product development.
Kasi said this strategic move would allow the bank to efficiently upgrade existing platforms, introduce new services quickly, and improve responsiveness to customer requirements. The result, he noted, would be a more convenient and accessible banking experience for the growing number of digitally active Ugandans.
Uganda’s national financial inclusion rate currently stands at 81 percent. Centenary Bank operates a substantial digital infrastructure, including the CenteMobile platform and a network of nearly 9,000 agents.
Focus on Scalability
Joseph Ndiho Kiiza, Group Executive Chairman of Service Cops, highlighted that the partnership builds on more than 12 years of prior cooperation. He indicated the current deal represents a deeper level of operational integration between the organizations.
Kiiza stressed that the merged capabilities of Service Cops and Cente-Tech are designed to create secure and scalable digital services, positioning the initiative as an African solution developed to address African challenges.
Dr. Grace Ssekakubo, CEO of Centenary Technology Services, echoed this sentiment. He stressed that meaningful digital transformation must extend to all communities to ensure improved access to vital services, including finance, education, and healthcare. The goal, he said, is to ensure services are simple, fast, and accessible everywhere.
Group Board Chairman Prof. John Ddumba Ssentamu affirmed that the collaboration marks a new phase in Centenary Group’s digital evolution, noting its alignment with the country’s digital roadmap. He stated that the success of the venture would be determined by its tangible impact on communities, such as easing access to credit for farmers.
Under the agreement, Centenary Bank, Cente-Tech, and Service Cops will jointly develop and commercialize digital solutions across several priority sectors, with plans to potentially expand services across the continent.