Stanbic Uganda Holdings Limited (SUHL), through its subsidiary SBG Securities Uganda Limited, has launched a pension fund management business as it expands its financial services offering and seeks to play a bigger role in Uganda’s growing retirement savings sector.
The new business, which operates under a licensed pension fund management framework, was officially launched during the inaugural Stanbic Uganda Pensions Conference held in Kampala under the theme, “The Role of the Pensions Sector in Accelerating the Tenfold GDP Growth Strategy.”
The launch expands Stanbic Uganda Holdings’ pension offering beyond its existing services into professional pension fund management, giving the Group an integrated range of solutions covering banking, custody, trustee services, investment advisory and fund management.
Speaking at the conference, Grace Semakula, Chief Executive Officer of SBG Securities Uganda Limited, said the new business is aimed at meeting growing demand for professional, transparent and innovative pension fund management services.
“Our objective is to deliver consistent value to retirement schemes through disciplined investment management, strong governance and sound risk management. Pension savings deserve professional stewardship that balances sustainable returns with long-term capital preservation,” Semakula said.
She added that the new business will support efforts to increase retirement savings and extend pension coverage to Uganda’s growing informal sector.
The launch comes as stakeholders increasingly look to Uganda’s pension sector as a source of long-term capital that can support investment and economic development.
Mark Ocitti Ongom, Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic Uganda Holdings Limited, said the Group sees pension savings as an important source of domestic capital that can be channelled into productive investments.
“At Stanbic Uganda, our purpose is clear: ‘Uganda is our home; we drive her growth.’ We believe the pensions sector has a unique opportunity to contribute to Uganda’s long-term development by mobilising domestic savings and deploying them into productive investments that stimulate economic activity, create jobs and improve livelihoods,” Ongom said.
He said pension funds represent patient capital that can finance infrastructure, housing, industrialisation and other strategic sectors needed to support Uganda’s ambition of growing its economy tenfold by 2040.
“Retirement savings first and foremost provide dignity and financial security for workers after years of service. But when professionally managed and responsibly invested, they also become a powerful engine for national development,” Ongom said.
The launch was part of the inaugural Stanbic Uganda Pensions Conference, which brought together regulators, policymakers, retirement scheme trustees, fund administrators, employers, investment professionals and other stakeholders.
The conference focused on how Uganda’s pension assets can be mobilised to finance productive sectors while generating sustainable long-term returns for contributors.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations Simon Mulongo said strengthening the pension ecosystem is critical to improving retirement security and supporting inclusive economic growth.
He said government remains committed to expanding pension coverage, particularly among workers in the informal sector, through initiatives such as the National Long-Term Savings Scheme.
“The pensions sector is no longer only about securing people’s retirement. It has become an important pillar for mobilising domestic capital that can finance Uganda’s long-term development priorities,” Mulongo said.
He called for stronger policy and regulatory frameworks to encourage greater participation in pension schemes while protecting contributors’ savings.
Paul Muganwa, Executive Director and Head of Corporate and Investment Banking at Stanbic Bank Uganda, said pension funds would be an important source of the long-term investment capital required to support Uganda’s economic ambitions.
“The journey towards a tenfold economy will require significant pools of long-term investment capital. Pension funds provide one of the most reliable sources of that capital,” Muganwa said.
He said Stanbic’s expertise across corporate banking, investment banking, custody services and capital markets positions the Group to provide integrated financial solutions to pension schemes and institutional investors.
SBG Securities has progressively expanded its investment offering from traditional securities to Uganda Shilling and US Dollar Unit Trusts, with pension fund management now added to its portfolio.
The new business is expected to strengthen Stanbic Uganda Holdings’ position in the pensions and investment management space while supporting efforts to deepen Uganda’s savings culture and mobilise domestic capital.
The launch also coincided with Stanbic October Love Month activities, which focus on appreciating customers and supporting communities. The activities are taking place in a milestone year as Stanbic marks 35 years of operations in Uganda under Standard Bank Group.
