Institute of bankers bets on behaviour change as it rolls out 2025–2026 financial literacy drive

The Uganda Institute of Banking and Financial Services (UIBFS) has set an ambitious tone for the year with the launch of the 2025–2026 Banking and Financial Services Awareness Campaign (BAFSAC), positioning financial literacy not merely as education, but as a catalyst for economic resilience.

Unveiled under the theme “Planned Adult,” the campaign’s first major activation was a high-level webinar titled “Financial Health: From Earnings to Sustainability.” The session, delivered by UIBFS Chief Executive Officer Goretti Masadde and moderated by Grace Muwanguzi, Head of Learning and Development at Stanbic Bank, signalled a deliberate pivot from income-focused conversations to long-term financial sustainability.

At its core, the discussion challenged participants to rethink money beyond monthly earnings and survival, urging individuals and institutions alike to adopt structured, future-facing financial habits.

Now in its sixth season since its official launch on 31 October 2025, BAFSAC has evolved into a national platform championing responsible financial behaviour across Uganda’s banking and financial ecosystem.

This year’s campaign deepens that mission by emphasising intentional decision-making across critical pillars: planning, saving, investment, responsible borrowing, insurance uptake, retirement preparation, digital finance adoption, and sustainability.

Throughout February, UIBFS will convene weekly Friday webinars from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM, creating a consistent forum for dialogue around practical financial planning for professionals, institutional sustainability, and the often-sensitive social dynamics of lending and generosity.

The sessions are open to the public at no cost; a strategic move aimed at democratising access to financial knowledge.

Speaking at the launch, Masadde underscored the long-term ambition behind the campaign.

“The Planned Adult campaign is about helping individuals and institutions move beyond reactive financial decisions. Through these weekly conversations, we are creating space for honest dialogue, learning, and behaviour change that supports long-term financial and economic resilience.”

Beyond the webinar series, UIBFS is leveraging digital engagement to drive participation.

The newly launched Throwback 2025 Challenge introduces a storytelling dimension to financial literacy, inviting Ugandans to reflect publicly on their 2025 financial decisions and outline their intentional goals for 2026.

Participants are encouraged to share short videos or photo stories guided by three prompts: what they did financially in 2025, what they learned, and what they are building in 2026. Running from 6 February to 6 May 2026, the initiative will award a total of UGX 1,000,000 in prizes through monthly recognitions culminating in a grand finale.

For Masadde, the value proposition extends far beyond the cash incentive.

“One honest story can inspire another person to plan better, save smarter, and build a more secure future,” she notes, framing the challenge as a behavioural nudge rather than a competition.

The 2025–2026 campaign is backed by a coalition of sector heavyweights, including the Deposit Protection Fund (DPF), Bank of Baroda Uganda, ABSA Bank Uganda, the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), and aBi Finance. Implementation is undertaken in partnership with the Uganda Bankers’ Association (UBA) and the Bank of Uganda (BoU), reinforcing its credibility and sector-wide alignment.

In an environment where household debt pressures, digital finance expansion, and economic uncertainty are reshaping financial behaviour, UIBFS is positioning literacy as infrastructure, foundational to both institutional sustainability and national growth.

Through collaboration, education, and innovation, the Institute is making a clear statement: financial resilience begins with intentional choices, and those choices must be learned.