Equity Bank Uganda has called for stronger collaboration between government, financial institutions and the private sector to mobilise funding for Uganda’s green economy, highlighting billions of shillings invested in climate finance and clean-energy solutions.
The bank made the call during the third CEOs’ Breakfast Meeting and High-Level Dialogue on Green Economy, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Sustainability, held on Wednesday, October 14, at the UNICEF Conference Centre in Mbuya, Kampala.
Held under the theme “Accelerating Uganda’s Green Economy Transition Through Digital Transformation,” the meeting brought together government officials, business executives, development partners and civil society representatives to discuss financing models and practical measures for climate-resilient economic growth.
Equity Bank Uganda Managing Director Gift Shoko, who delivered a keynote panel address, highlighted the role of financial institutions in directing capital towards renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, clean cooking, water and sanitation, and environmentally sustainable enterprises.
Shoko said Uganda needed to move beyond sustainability commitments towards financing projects capable of attracting investment and delivering measurable economic and environmental benefits.
The question is no longer whether Uganda can afford to invest in sustainability. The question is whether we can afford not to,” Shoko said.
He outlined the bank’s contribution to green financing, revealing that it had disbursed UGX37.6 billion in green loans for climate finance and supported the sale of 157,035 clean-energy products.
The bank has also onboarded 18 clean-energy implementing partners and mobilised UGX4.75 billion in green finance funds through a partnership with the Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company (UECCC).
According to Shoko, Equity Bank Uganda has further contributed to the planting of 96,638 trees over the past three years as part of its environmental sustainability initiatives.
The figures highlight the growing role of commercial banks in financing interventions intended to reduce environmental pressures while supporting household incomes, business growth and access to cleaner energy.
Shoko also pointed to a recent USD200 million agreement by Equity Group to support smallholder farmers and micro and small enterprises through smart agriculture and related interventions. Uganda is expected to access approximately 25% of the facility, equivalent to about USD50 million.
The financing is expected to support opportunities in agriculture and enterprise development, sectors that remain important to Uganda’s livelihoods and economic growth.
Green finance and digital transformation
Discussions at the meeting focused on how technology and financial innovation could accelerate the transition to a greener economy, particularly through improved energy management, expanded access to clean energy, climate-smart agriculture and stronger resilience to climate-related shocks.
Participants highlighted rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall and environmental degradation as growing threats to agricultural production, livelihoods and economic progress.
They called for increased investment in renewable energy, wetland protection and the restoration of degraded land, while urging policymakers and businesses to translate sustainability commitments into practical interventions, supportive regulations and individual responsibility.
The discussions also examined how financial institutions could identify bankable green projects and mobilise investment at a scale sufficient to support national development priorities.
Shoko said coordinated action was necessary to build an effective green-finance ecosystem, with government providing an enabling policy environment, businesses developing innovative solutions, development partners supporting investment and financial institutions mobilising capital.
At Equity Bank Uganda we are committed to mobilising finance, expanding access to sustainable solutions and building the partnerships that will accelerate Uganda’s green transition,” he said.
When government provides the enabling environment, the private sector innovates, development partners catalyse investment and financial institutions mobilise capital at scale, Uganda will not merely participate in the green economy, it can thrive through it.”
Schools take centre stage in tree-planting drive
Beyond financing businesses and households, Equity Bank Uganda highlighted its tree-planting initiatives, particularly the Equity Green Schools Programme, which targets planting 200,000 trees by 2027.
The programme seeks to involve schools and learners in environmental conservation by encouraging students to plant, own and nurture trees.
At Nakanyonyi Secondary School in Mukono District, approximately 3,500 trees were planted during the programme’s launch. Kyasanku Hill College in Mpigi received 1,500 trees, while St. Julian Secondary School in Wakiso had 1,000 trees planted during a 2025 campaign.
Busoga College Mwiri has also benefited from the initiative, with more than 43,000 indigenous trees planted across its hill slopes.
The broader programme targets 50,000 trees across 25 schools in 10 districts by the end of 2026, with additional activities expected to include the establishment of school orchards.
The initiative reflects efforts to integrate environmental stewardship into education while encouraging younger generations to take responsibility for protecting natural resources.
Participants at the meeting stressed that economic transformation must go hand in hand with the preservation of natural systems, noting that environmental interventions undertaken today will shape the opportunities available to future generations.
Inclusion and sustainable enterprise
The meeting also explored the relationship between organisational sustainability, employee wellness and inclusive economic development.
Participants discussed the need to expand opportunities for women, including those aged above 40, and young people, while ensuring that successful sustainability models can be replicated beyond individual organisations.
Equity Bank Uganda outlined its approach of strengthening support for women and youth, expanding wellness partnerships and deploying the Young Africa Works framework alongside financial literacy and capacity-building initiatives.
The bank said it had trained more than 100,000 young people in financial literacy and related skills, complementing efforts to improve access to appropriate financing.
Entrepreneurship, private-sector innovation and partnerships across government, business and development institutions were identified as essential to scaling green investments and creating sustainable economic opportunities.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Office of the Prime Minister, Go Green, the Uganda Communications Commission, the International Organization for Migration, UNICEF, Enabel, Uganda Railways, NEC Uzima Limited and the Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation, among other institutions.
Speaker of Parliament Jackson Oboth was the keynote speaker and guest of honour. Other speakers included representatives of UNICEF Uganda, the World Bank and Heifer International.
Equity Bank Uganda said its participation in the dialogue reaffirmed its commitment to using finance to support sustainable transformation, in line with its purpose of transforming lives, giving dignity and expanding opportunities for wealth creation.