By Ambrose Gahene
A two days Fintech industry conference is slated to take place from 6-7 October, 2026 at Kampala Sheraton Hotel, according to sources from the Financial Technology Service Providers’ Association (FTSPA), the organizers of the conference in partnership with Uganda Insurers Association, aBi Finance, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), Fintech Summit Africa, Bank of Uganda and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation among others.
According to Ms. Zianah Nyiramanza, Managing Director at FITSPA, the conference will provide a platform for industry players and key stakeholders to examine this question and explore the practical realities of building fintech businesses capable of sustaining growth.
“At its core, the conference will explore a question increasingly relevant to Uganda’s fintech entrepreneurs: what does it take to move a promising innovation from an idea or early-stage product into a scalable, commercially sustainable solution that can serve millions of people and businesses?” Nyiramanza said.
She said the definition of innovation is also evolving as fintech businesses move into more complex stages of growth.
“For entrepreneurs, innovation is no longer only about developing a new product or technology. It is also about building sustainable business models, accessing growth capital, entering new markets, developing strategic partnerships, navigating regulation and earning the trust of customers,” she said.
Nyiramanza added that; creating the conditions for fintech businesses to scale will require greater collaboration across the ecosystem.
“As an ecosystem convener, FITSPA provides a platform for entrepreneurs and stakeholders across government, the private sector and development community to examine these issues and share insights on how Uganda can build the conditions required for the next generation of fintech businesses to scale. For this to happen, entrepreneurs, investors, regulators, financial institutions and technology providers must work together,” she said.
In a statement released by FITSPA on Thursday, Uganda’s fintech industry is shifting from a period of rapid innovation and market expansion towards a new phase focused on scale, sustainability and long-term economic value creation.
The conference shall run under the theme: “Scaling Fintech Innovation for Inclusive Growth and a Resilient Digital Economy.”
“In addition, the conference sponsors include; MTN Mobile Money, Furaha, Airtel Money, Agent Banking Company Yo Uganda, Pawa Pay, Financial Sector Deepening Uganda, Numida, Axiom Zorn, Centenary Bank, Raxio Data Centre, ManageEngine, Yellow Card, and Standard Chartered Bank, which is expected to bring together more than 500 participants from Uganda’s financial Technology ecosystem”, reads the statement in part.
The statement further states that; the conference will convene fintech founders and entrepreneurs, investors, regulators, financial institutions, technology companies, telecommunications operators, policymakers and development partners, to examine what is required to move fintech innovations from promising solutions to scalable and commercially sustainable businesses.
“Over the past decade, fintech has transformed how Ugandans access and use financial services. Mobile money, digital payments, digital credit, digital banking and other technology-enabled solutions have expanded access to financial services and changed how individuals and businesses make payments, save, borrow, manage their businesses and participate in the formal economy”, adds the statement.
The conference comes at a time when fintech entrepreneurs across Africa are navigating an increasingly demanding growth environment, characterised by competition for capital, evolving regulation, pressure to demonstrate viable business models and growing expectations around consumer protection, cybersecurity and responsible innovation.
“The conference will therefore place particular emphasis on the ecosystem conditions that enable innovation to scale, including access to capital and investment, digital infrastructure and interoperability, supportive policy and regulatory frameworks, partnerships, market access, consumer trust and the responsible adoption of emerging technologies”, points out Ms. Nyiramanza.
The discussions, according to organizers of the conference, will also tackle the growing role of artificial intelligence, blockchain, data analytics and cloud technologies in shaping the future of financial services, as well as the opportunities and considerations these technologies present for fintech businesses.
Mr. Ken Njoroge, co-founded Cellulant in 2003, led the company as Group Chief Executive Officer through major stages of transformation, from a mobile content business to a banking technology platform and ultimately a pan-African payments infrastructure company operating across 35 markets, serving 62 banks and 400 corporates.
Mr. Njoroge says Cellulant attracted US$125 million from European and American investors, providing a practical case study of the capital, partnerships, technology and leadership involved in building and expanding an African technology business.
Mr. Njoroge, according to organizers of the conference, is expected through his experience, to bring a practical dimension to conversations around the realities of scaling a fintech company.
“These include; raising capital, developing technology infrastructure, navigating regulation, building strategic partnerships, expanding into new markets and managing the pressures that accompany growth”, further points out the statement.
According to the statement, the two-day conference agenda will feature sessions examining digital infrastructure and interoperability; policy and regulatory frameworks; capital and investment; partnerships and collaboration; artificial intelligence and emerging technologies; consumer protection, trust and market integrity; and innovation for inclusion.
“Industry experts from Uganda’s fintech ecosystem will lead the discussions, complemented by business showcases and an exhibition that will provide fintech entrepreneurs and technology companies with opportunities to present their products and solutions, engage with investors and regulators, explore partnerships and demonstrate innovations shaping Uganda’s digital financial services landscape”, further points out the statement.