Pearl Bank completes corporate rebrand as customers replace legacy cheques, cards
The shift to Pearl Bank Uganda is expected to position the institution as a modern, customer-centric and digitally enabled bank.
Pearl Bank completes corporate rebrand as customers replace legacy cheques, cards
One year after shareholders approved its name change, Pearl Bank has completed the rollout of its new corporate identity, marking the final phase of its rebranding process.
The transition comes as customers are required to replace legacy cheque books and bank cards bearing the former branding with new Pearl Bank-branded instruments.
Customers still holding cards and cheque books issued under the bank’s former identity have a limited window to switch. Legacy cheque books are being phased out from December 2026, and legacy ATM cards from January 2027.
“We are encouraging our customers to get a Pearl Bank ATM card or cheque book,” Priscilla Akora, the head of marketing and communications at Pearl Bank, said. Customers can visit any branch with a national identification document ahead of the deadlines.
The shift to Pearl Bank Uganda is expected to position the institution as a modern, customer-centric and digitally enabled bank.
Shareholders endorsed the name change in June last year at the bank’s annual general meeting, held at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
The Bank of Uganda granted the institution an operating licence under its new name on November 24, formally completing the regulatory transition.
Akora said the exercise extended well beyond a change of signage.
“Rebrands are more than a name change and brand colours. You must constantly communicate and engage various stakeholders on various fronts,” she said.
The bank’s first results under its new identity following the shareholders’ approval of the name change in June last year also showed a remarkable growth in profitability.
Pearl Bank posted a significant increase in profitability, with net profit after tax rising to Shs47.3 billion in 2025, up from Shs35.4 billion in 2024, representing a 34% growth. This was driven by strong growth in interest income, improved asset utilisation, and disciplined cost management.
Customer deposits climbed 43 percent to Shs1.42 trillion and total assets grew 31 percent to Shs1.87 trillion, while the loan book reached Shs749 billion and total income hit Shs298 billion.
The bank closed the year with a total capital adequacy ratio of 24.87 percent, above the regulatory minimum.
A major highlight of the year was the growth in Wendi wallet deposits, which rose to Sh240.5 billion in 2025, up from Sh45.5 billion in 2024.
Pearl Bank Uganda Limited is a Tier I commercial bank licensed and supervised by the Bank of Uganda. Wholly owned by the Government of Uganda, the bank traces its roots to the Post Office Savings Department established in 1926.
It was incorporated as PostBank Uganda Limited in 1998 and attained Tier I commercial bank status in December 2021 before rebranding to Pearl Bank in 2025.
