Mapeera House — Service Cops Limited and Centenary Bank have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a strategic technology and business partnership designed to fast-track digital transformation, deepen financial inclusion, and expand access to modern digital services across Uganda and the wider African region.
The collaboration—coordinated at the group level through Centenary Technology Services (Cente-Tech)—brings together Centenary Bank’s four-decade legacy of social-impact financial inclusion and Service Cops’ 16 years of expertise in enterprise technology, digital integrations, and large-scale systems deployment.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Centenary Bank Managing Director Mr Fabian Kasi said the agreement marks a turning point for Uganda’s digital and financial landscape.
“This partnership will accelerate our digital product development and rollout,” Mr Kasi noted. “By combining the bank’s deep customer insights and regulatory experience with Service Cops’ strong technical expertise, we will introduce new digital services more quickly, upgrade existing platforms more efficiently, and respond faster to customer needs.”
He added that the collaboration will significantly enhance customer experience across all channels. “As a result, customers will enjoy more seamless, convenient and accessible banking services that meet the needs of a digital-first generation—while still supporting those transitioning from traditional banking,” Mr Kasi said.
According to the 2024 FinScope Survey, Uganda’s financial inclusion has risen from 77% in 2018 to 81% in 2024, but rural infrastructure gaps, limited digital literacy, and gender disparities persist. Centenary Bank has been a key driver in bridging these barriers, with a nationwide network of nearly 9,000 agents—surpassing the reach of traditional branches—and digital platforms such as CenteMobile enabling millions to transact anytime, anywhere.
This year alone, the bank’s financial literacy programmes reached almost 17,000 people, 57% of them women, while more than 500,000 Ugandans benefitted from its digital safety and anti-fraud campaigns.
A New Chapter in African-Led Innovation
Joseph Ndiho Kiiza, Group Executive Chairman of Service Cops, said the partnership signals deeper integration between the two organisations, building on more than 12 years of collaboration with Centenary Bank.
“Our growth story is deeply intertwined with Centenary Bank, and today’s partnership strengthens that relationship even further—moving from collaboration to true integration,” he said.
Ndiho emphasised that the combined strengths of Service Cops and Cente-Tech will accelerate digitalisation and financial inclusion far beyond Uganda.
“By merging Service Cops’ experience with Cente-Tech’s capabilities, we are laying a foundation for scalable, secure and transformative digital services across Africa,” he said. “This is African-led technological innovation designed to solve African challenges.”
He thanked the leadership of Centenary Bank, Cente-Tech, and Centenary Group, noting that the partnership will be “impactful to the communities we serve.”
Innovations That Matter
Dr Grace Ssekakubo, CEO of Centenary Technology Services, described the partnership as a milestone for both organisations and a major step forward for millions of Ugandans.
“Cente-Tech’s mission is to create innovations that matter,” Dr Ssekakubo said. “Partnerships like this allow us to solve major ICT challenges and make technology a true equaliser.”
He stressed that meaningful digital transformation must reach the last mile, enabling better access to finance, education, health care and insurance.
“By combining Centenary’s trusted heritage with Service Cops’ digital expertise, the goal is clear—to deliver services that are simple, fast and accessible everywhere,” he said. “This is about digital empowerment: African solutions built for African people.”
A New Chapter in Our Digital Journey
Prof. John Ddumba Ssentamu, Group Board Chairman of Centenary Group, hailed the signing as more than a year-end milestone.
“This collaboration is a new chapter in Centenary Group’s digital journey,” he said. “It embodies our mission of inclusion, innovation and community transformation, and aligns with Uganda’s digital roadmap.”
He emphasised that the success of the partnership will be measured by its real impact—“making it easier for farmers to access credit, students to learn, patients to get care, and women entrepreneurs to thrive.”
Under the agreement, Centenary Bank, Cente-Tech and Service Cops will jointly develop and commercialise digital solutions across key priority sectors, including education, health, insurance and financial services. The MoU gives the partners flexibility to expand further as opportunities emerge across Africa.
By leveraging Service Cops’ experience in large-scale enterprise systems, the partnership is expected to strengthen Centenary Bank’s agent network, expand rural service delivery, and enhance integration with national digital systems.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior leaders from Centenary Group, Centenary Bank, Cente-Tech and Service Cops, including Prof. John Ddumba Ssentamu (Group Board Chairman), Fabian Kasi (Managing Director), Joseph Balikuddembe (Executive Director), Dr Grace Ssekakubo (CEO, Cente-Tech), Peter Kahiigi (CTO, Cente-Tech), Joseph Ndiho Kiiza (Group Executive Chairman, Service Cops), and Mathias Kamugasho (Managing Director, Service Cops).
