KAMPALA, Uganda — Centenary Bank has rolled out a new digital wallet platform, Gonza Pay, in an effort to accelerate the transition from cash to digital finance across the country.
The application is open to all consumers and does not require an existing account with the institution, which is Uganda’s largest commercial microfinance bank. Company officials said the platform is positioned to serve rural populations and informal traders who face high costs and security risks when dealing exclusively in physical currency.
Joseph Balikuddembe, executive director of business at Centenary Bank, said during the product launch that the rollout is part of a broader shift toward mobile-led banking. The strategy aims to optimize operational efficiency and improve financial access for underserved communities.
The initiative launches amid a sharp increase in digital payment adoption nationwide. Bank of Uganda data indicates the total value of electronic transactions climbed 28 percent in 2025, reaching $100.3 billion, or 366 trillion Ugandan shillings, compared with $75 billion, or 285.9 trillion Ugandan shillings, the previous year. Total transaction volumes also rose 17.3 percent to 9.1 billion.
Tumubweine Twinemanzi, executive director of national payments systems at the central bank, spoke at the event on behalf of Deputy Governor Augustus Nuwagaba. Twinemanzi said the introduction of secure digital wallets directly supports the national economic agenda by bringing more independent commerce into the formal financial system.
Centenary Bank currently serves more than 3 million customers through a network of 81 physical branches, 209 ATMs and 9,000 agents.
The Gonza Pay platform can be accessed by downloading the application from mobile marketplaces or by dialing the USSD code *211#.
