Equity Bank Uganda to Host Diaspora Webinar on Converting Remittances Into Investment
Equity Bank Uganda is hosting a diaspora-focused webinar designed to help convert the country’s record remittance inflows into long-term investments that create businesses, jobs and sustainable wealth, according to AllAfrica.
The initiative, reported by AllAfrica citing The Independent (Kampala), comes amid sustained growth in money sent home by Ugandans living abroad. The webinar is set to feature remarks from the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Uganda, providing the perspective of the country’s central bank on how remittances can be productively channelled into the wider economy. Equity Bank Uganda, part of the Equity Group Holdings network that operates across East Africa, has positioned the engagement as part of its broader strategy to deepen relationships with the diaspora community.
Remittances have become an increasingly important source of external financing for Uganda. According to widely cited World Bank tracking, inflows to Sub-Saharan Africa have climbed steadily over the past decade, with Uganda consistently among the more prominent recipients in East Africa. The capital arrives through formal channels such as banks and money transfer operators, as well as informal routes, and it traditionally supports household consumption, school fees, healthcare and housing.
A push toward investment rather than consumption
Equity Bank Uganda’s framing of the webinar reflects a policy debate playing out across many sending countries: how to encourage diaspora capital to move beyond immediate family support and toward savings, asset-building and entrepreneurship. By pairing the session with a senior central bank voice, the bank is signalling that the conversation will address both regulatory considerations and practical pathways for diaspora investors, from small business start-ups to real estate and securities.
Equity Group’s regional footprint
Equity Group Holdings, headquartered in Kenya, has expanded its Ugandan operations over the past decade, offering retail banking, microfinance, and digital financial services. Its diaspora-facing products typically include foreign currency accounts, remittance-linked savings plans, and advisory services for those planning investments back home. The webinar forms part of that outreach, with Equity Bank Uganda positioning itself as a bridge between overseas Ugandans and investment opportunities inside the country.
The broader economic context underscores why financial institutions are paying closer attention to diaspora flows. For many developing economies, remittances now approach or exceed foreign direct investment and official development assistance combined, making the manner in which they are absorbed a matter of national economic strategy as well as household finance.
Sources
This report was written from coverage published by the following news organisations. Follow the links for the original reporting.
