Uganda’s Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) has become the first financial intelligence unit in Africa to obtain the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification, an international standard for information security management systems.
The certification recognises the Authority’s systems for protecting sensitive information and managing risks associated with data security, a development expected to strengthen confidence in Uganda’s financial intelligence and anti-money laundering framework.
The achievement was officially handed over on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the FIA offices in Kampala, during an event that also saw the launch of the Authority’s Client Charter.
Finance Minister Henry Musasizi commended the FIA Board, management and staff, alongside the National Information Technology Authority–Uganda (NITA-U), the World Bank and other stakeholders, for their contribution towards achieving the certification.
Musasizi described the milestone as significant in protecting sensitive financial intelligence, strengthening national security and enhancing international confidence in Uganda’s financial system.
He said maintaining Uganda’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List would require continued investment in cybersecurity, stronger coordination among government agencies and adherence to international standards.
Uganda was removed from the FATF Grey List in February 2024 after implementing measures to address deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing systems.
The country now faces another major assessment in 2028, when its compliance with international standards will be evaluated.
Musasizi said the FIA’s certification would contribute to the country’s preparedness for the assessment by strengthening the protection of financial intelligence used in investigations and enforcement against illicit financial activities.
“Sustaining Uganda’s removal from the FATF Grey List requires continuous investment in cybersecurity, stronger inter-agency coordination and strict adherence to international standards, particularly ahead of Uganda’s 2028 mutual evaluation,” Musasizi said.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the Authority and urged public institutions and private sector players to treat information security as a strategic priority.
The FIA Board Chairperson, Alinaffe Kalule, said information security was central to protecting sensitive intelligence, maintaining institutional credibility and safeguarding the integrity of Uganda’s financial system.
Executive Director Samuel Were Wandera said obtaining the certification should not be treated as the end of the process but as the beginning of continuous improvements in the Authority’s information security systems.
He noted that emerging cyber threats, including those associated with artificial intelligence, required institutions to remain vigilant and regularly strengthen their systems.
“While certification demonstrates compliance with internationally recognised standards, it also marks the beginning of a continuous improvement journey requiring vigilance, stronger systems and adaptation to emerging cyber threats, including those associated with artificial intelligence,” Wandera said.
The certification was achieved with support from NITA-U and the World Bank under the Uganda Digital Acceleration Project, which supports the country’s digital transformation agenda.
The ceremony also saw the launch of the FIA Client Charter, a framework outlining the Authority’s service commitments and expectations in its engagement with stakeholders.
According to the FIA, the charter is intended to strengthen transparency, accountability, responsiveness in service delivery and meaningful engagement with clients and other stakeholders.
The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 standard provides a framework through which organisations establish, implement, maintain and continually improve information security management systems. It covers the identification and management of risks relating to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.
For the FIA, which receives and analyses financial intelligence relating to suspected money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes, protecting information is central to its mandate.
The achievement comes as Uganda seeks to strengthen its financial crime prevention systems, improve international cooperation and maintain confidence in its financial sector ahead of the 2028 FATF mutual evaluation.