KAMPALA —Airtel Mobile Commerce Uganda Limited, trading as Airtel Money, and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) have renewed their strategic partnership to expand access to voluntary social security savings through SmartLife Flexi.
SmartLife Flexi is NSSF’s flexible savings solution targeting workers in Uganda’s informal sector, emerging workforce and other groups that may not have access to traditional mandatory social security schemes.
The renewed partnership will leverage Airtel Uganda’s digital ecosystem, customer base and Airtel Money platform to make long-term saving more accessible and convenient for Ugandans.
NSSF said SmartLife Flexi had attracted more than 130,000 enrolments and accumulated assets worth UGX199.3 billion as of August 28, 2026, less than two years after its launch.
Airtel Uganda, which has more than 20 million subscribers, is expected to provide a broad platform for expanding SmartLife enrolment and contributions through digital channels, customer engagement initiatives and Airtel Money.
Under the partnership, customers will be able to enrol for SmartLife and make contributions digitally using Airtel Money, allowing them to save regardless of the nature or timing of their income.
Speaking about the renewed partnership, Japhet Aritho, Managing Director of Airtel Mobile Commerce Uganda Limited, said the initiative would make long-term savings easier to access.
“At Airtel Money, we are committed to providing solutions that improve the lives of our customers. Through this partnership with NSSF, we are making it easier for Ugandans to access long-term savings through simple and convenient digital channels.”
Aritho said the service was designed to serve people across different occupations and income streams.
“Whether you are a trader, boda rider, farmer, entrepreneur, or self-employed professional, SmartLife gives you an opportunity to save consistently and secure your future,” he said.
He added that the partnership was part of Airtel Money’s broader efforts to promote financial inclusion by connecting customers to financial services through digital technology they already use.
Gerald Paul Kasaato, NSSF Deputy Managing Director, said the partnership would help the Fund extend social security coverage beyond traditionally employed workers.
“SmartLife was created to extend social security coverage to all Ugandans in the formal sector and the informal sector, as well as the diaspora.”
Kasaato said Airtel Money’s reach would enable NSSF to bring the service closer to potential savers.
“Our partnership with Airtel Money enables us to reach more people where they are, using a trusted digital platform that they interact with daily. Together, we are making it easier for Ugandans to start saving for their future, regardless of their income level,” he said.
Saving from UGX500
One of the key features of SmartLife Flexi is the low entry point for contributions.
Customers can begin saving with as little as UGX500, while each contribution attracts transaction charges starting from UGX150.
The partners say the low minimum contribution is intended to make voluntary saving accessible to people whose incomes may be irregular or relatively small.
This is particularly relevant in Uganda, where a large proportion of workers earn their livelihoods outside conventional salaried employment.
Rather than requiring savers to make large, fixed contributions, the SmartLife model allows them to build their savings around their individual income patterns.
The renewed partnership will also be accompanied by an awareness campaign across Airtel and NSSF digital platforms, social media channels, customer activations, financial literacy programmes and community outreach activities.
The campaign will seek to educate Ugandans about long-term saving while encouraging greater participation in voluntary social security schemes.
The partnership brings together NSSF’s experience in social security and long-term investment management with Airtel Money’s digital payments infrastructure and nationwide customer reach.
For Airtel Money, the opportunity lies in using mobile technology to turn saving from something distant and institutional into something that can be done from the same phone used every day to send money, pay bills and conduct business.
NSSF is mandated under the NSSF Act to provide social security services to eligible employees in Uganda. The Fund manages assets worth more than UGX32 trillion, invested across fixed income, equities and real estate in the East African region.
Airtel Money provides digital financial services that allow customers to transact and access financial services through mobile phones.
The two organisations said the renewed partnership is expected to deepen financial inclusion, encourage a culture of long-term saving and enable more Ugandans to build financial security.