Pesapal , Pezesha launch data-driven credit pilot for Ugandan SMEs

Pesapal Uganda, a payments and business solutions provider in East Africa, has announced a strategic partnership with Pezesha to pilot a credit facility for merchants in Uganda.

This initiative underscores Pesapal’s commitment to driving financial inclusion at a time when nearly 60% of Ugandan adults remain excluded from formal credit and SMEs face persistent financing gaps. By extending access to affordable, data-driven credit, Pesapal is directly supporting small businesses, which form over 90% of the private sector and contribute the majority of employment in Uganda.

It also aligns with the Bank of Uganda’s vision and the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (2023–2028), which emphasizes expanding access to affordable financial services, promoting responsible digital lending, and strengthening Uganda’s digital economy. Through this partnership, Pesapal is positioning itself as a trusted growth partner that not only enables payments but also empowers merchants to scale sustainably within the country’s broader economic transformation agenda.

The pilot program will be introduced gradually, beginning with a select group of Pesapal merchants. This controlled rollout is designed to ensure a seamless experience, encourage responsible borrowing, and allow the company to incorporate learnings before wider expansion.

By working with Pezesha to embed credit into its credit scoring platform, Pesapal is tackling one of the biggest challenges facing Ugandan small and medium enterprises (SMEs): access to affordable working capital. Using its proprietary credit scoring engine, Patascore, Pezesha assesses merchant eligibility and assigns appropriate credit limits. Leveraging real transaction data from Pesapal  such as sales volume, seasonality, and repayment history  the credit product provides SMEs with affordable, right-sized financing without the need for traditional collateral. This empowers businesses to bridge short-term cash gaps, restock quickly, and sustain growth with confidence.

Through this partnership, merchants on the Pesapal platform will be able to:

• Improve cash flow with timely access to credit.

• Restock faster and meet customer demand without disruption.

• Scale with confidence, knowing they have financial support to grow sustainably.

Speaking about the partnership, Martin Barungi, Country Director Pesapal Uganda  said:

“We are excited to partner with Pezesha to bring this innovative credit solution to our merchants in Uganda. Many small and medium businesses face challenges accessing financing, which often slows down their growth. By embedding credit directly into our payments platform, we are empowering merchants to unlock new opportunities and strengthen their businesses.”

Similarly, Jessica Tusiime, Operations Manager Pezesha noted:

“At Pezesha, our mission is to close the financing gap for SMEs across Africa. Partnering with Pesapal allows us to reach thousands of merchants with affordable and responsible credit, enabling them to build resilience and thrive in today’s competitive market.”

This pilot matters for Uganda because access to affordable credit remains one of the biggest barriers to SME growth. While digital payments adoption has accelerated, many businesses still struggle with cash flow gaps that limit their ability to restock, expand, or manage operations effectively. By embedding credit directly into the Pesapal platform, merchants are empowered with both the tools to accept and manage payments and the financing to grow sustainably.

This aligns with Uganda’s national financial inclusion agenda, which prioritizes access, affordability, and responsible lending, and positions Pesapal as a partner not just in transactions, but in unlocking economic growth for SMEs across the country.

Pesapal Uganda provides simple, safe, and secure payment and business solutions in East Africa. With a presence in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Rwanda, Pesapal empowers merchants with tools to accept payments, access financing, manage operations, and grow sustainably.

Pezesha is a Pan-African fintech company that operates a digital embedded finance platform connecting capital and financial services to underserved MSMEs. To date, Pezesha has empowered over 1 million businesses across 20+ value chains with affordable working capital and inventory financing. Pezesha is regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya and the Bank of Uganda, with expansion into additional East African markets underway.