Absa Bank Uganda plants 1.2m trees to address climate vulnerability

KAMPALA, Uganda — Absa Bank Uganda has announced that it has exceeded its goal of planting one million trees, achieving the target well ahead of its three-year deadline as part of an effort to combat the nation’s increasing vulnerability to climate change.

The bank confirmed Tuesday that the total number of trees planted now stands at 1,281,317, surpassing the initial commitment made when the programme began in February 2023.

Helen Basuuta Nangonzi, Absa’s Marketing and Customer Experience Director, emphasised that the milestone was a result of strong cooperation and directly addresses critical environmental challenges.

“We are cognisant of the need for collaborations and partnerships in addressing the impact of climate change,” Nangonzi said. “We will continue planting and growing more trees because of the critical role they play in environmental stewardship and biodiversity conservation.”

The initiative comes at a crucial time for Uganda, where the National Development Plan IV identifies vulnerability to climate change — particularly extreme weather events like floods and droughts — as a major threat to sustainable development.

Uganda’s national forest cover has seen a sharp decline, dropping from 24% in 1990 to just 13.3% in 2022, according to the national plan.

Absa achieved the milestone by partnering with several groups, including the Ministry of Water and Environment’s Running out of Trees (ROOTS) initiative, the My Tree Initiative, Kampala Capital City Authority, and Rotary Uganda.

Enjer Ashiraf, Executive Director of My Tree Initiative, commended the bank’s speed and commitment. “This milestone demonstrates the power of collaboration and collective action towards a greener, more sustainable future,” he stated.

Nangonzi added that this environmental commitment is part of Absa’s broader strategy to be a “force for good,” tackling societal issues alongside financial inclusion and economic inequalities.