Centenary Bank and Office of the Supreme Mufti Partner to Scale up Financial Inclusion

Centenary Bank, the leading microfinance bank in the country and the Office of the Supreme Mufti (OSM) partnered to roll out the OSM Digital Payments Platform, a transformative initiative aimed at facilitating seamless financial transactions within Muslim communities through secure, convenient, and transparent digital payments.

This rollout is a significant step towards improving financial efficiency and inclusion across religious institutions and their communities.

Centenary Bank is the principal banking partner for the platform, which will be integrated onto the Bank’s CenteMobile platform, enabling users to make payments seamlessly and securely through their mobile phones. This innovation will support the collection of contributions, fees, and other payments while reducing reliance on cash-based systems.

Speaking at the launch, Rashid Musisi Ssemanda, Centenary Bank’s Chief Manager for Corporate and Institutional Banking highlighted the bank’s infrastructural scope that supports the wide reach for the platform. Ssemanda said, “We are excited to leverage our strong digital infrastructure and extensive community reach to support the initiative. At Centenary Bank, we seek to transform lives through inclusive and accessible financial solutions. Partnering with the Office of the Supreme Mufti on this platform allows us to extend secure digital banking to faith-based institutions and communities, especially this day and era where Ugandans are increasingly using mobile technology.”

According to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Market Performance Q3 2025 Report, the country has recorded over 45.7 million active mobile subscriptions indicating that the population has the capacity to utilize digital financial solutions.

The OSM Digital Payment platform is expected to support financial inclusion, especially for users in peri-urban and rural areas. It also aligns with national efforts to promote digital payments and reduce cash handling risks.

Supreme Mufti Sheikh Muhammad Shaban Galabuzi emphasized the importance of embracing digital solutions that align with good governance, accountability, and service delivery.

“This platform reflects our commitment to transparency, efficiency, and responsible stewardship of resources entrusted to us. By embracing digital payments, we are strengthening trust and making it easier for our communities to fulfil their obligations conveniently.” Sheikh Galabuzi said.

Through this partnership, Centenary Bank continues to champion the digitalization of financial solutions that are practical, accessible, and built around the needs of everyday Ugandans.

Centenary Bank is the leading commercial microfinance Bank in Uganda, serving over 3 million customers through to 8,000 Cente Agents, 82 branches and 209 ATMs across the country. The bank also has various digital channels including CenteMobile, CenteAgent, CenteOnline and CenteVisa debit and prepaid cards. Its mission is “To provide appropriate financial services, especially microfinance to all people, in a sustainable manner and in accordance with the law.”