Pearl Bank has been named the best agri-SME lender at the Aceli Africa Uganda Stakeholder Roundtable.
In the same vein, the bank's Supervisor-Agriculture & Partnerships, Julius Akais has been named Agri-SME Lending Champion, recognizing the significant contributions Pearl Bank has made to the agricultural financing in Uganda.
The bank, which rebranded from PostBank Uganda to Pearl Bank, was honored for its exemplary efforts in supporting smallholder farmers and agribusinesses through innovative and accessible lending solutions.
This was during a meeting in which Aceli Africa convened approximately 100 stakeholders in Kampala to reflect on five years of advancing agri-SME finance in Uganda and to discuss priorities for the next phase under Aceli 2.0 (2026–2030).
Participants included representatives from the Bank of Uganda, the Uganda Bankers Association, commercial banks, impact investors, technical assistance providers, and development partners.
The roundtable created space to reflect on progress since Aceli’s launch in Uganda in 2020, highlight key learnings, and examine what it will take to further catalyze sustainable agri-lending.
The event featured a panel discussion reflecting on Aceli’s journey (2020–2025), persistent challenges and opportunities for lenders and SMEs in agri-SME finance, and a policy discussion on strengthening the enabling environment for agricultural lending.
Aceli has partnered with 19 financial institutions in Uganda and mobilized $101 million in capital from 1500+ loans, supporting 350k+ small holder farmers and workers and contributing to $514 million in crop purchases and wages. More than half of supported SMEs meet higher standards for women’s and youth economic opportunities, and 50+% of loans have reached borrowers accessing finance above $25,000 for the first time.
During the engagement, an outlook for 2026–2030 was also shared, with a focus on aligning technical assistance with capital supply and deepening long-term market sustainability.
Speaking about the Bank’s win, Julius Kakeeto, Pearl Bank Managing Director mentioned that the award highlights the bank's dedication to bridging the financing gap in Uganda's agriculture sector, which remains a cornerstone of the national economy, employing the majority of the population and driving food security as well as export growth.
“The bank’s commitment to sustainable agriculture financing has yielded an approximately 180% growth in our agricultural portfolio since 2020. This has been made possible by the innovative lending solutions and tailored products such as seasonal working capital loans, risk-sharing facilities and financing partnerships aligned with government initiatives like the Agriculture Credit Facility, have been fundamental in empowering underserved rural communities to adopt climate-smart practices and scale their operations.”
The highlight at the awards ceremony was the individual accolade given to Julius Akais, Pearl Bank's Supervisor for Agriculture and Partnerships.
Akais, was named the Agri-SME Lending Champion in recognition of his leadership in de-risking agribusiness lending and forging strategic partnerships that have expanded access to credit for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs.
In addition to the Aceli Africa recognition, last year Pearl Bank was a recipient of the Agricultural Financing and the Fintech Partnership Award at the 2025 Annual Bankers Awards (ABA), the bank also attained five accolades and 11 certificates at the Bank of Uganda’s Agriculture Credit Facility (ACF) and Small Business Recovery Fund (SBRF) awards, the best-performing bank under both schemes.
The awards reflected the bank’s impactful and inclusive approach to sustainable agricultural financing, a vital contribution to Uganda’s broader development goals.
As part of its strategic position, Pearl Bank’s 5-year journey encompassed the rebrand phase that kick started last year, ushered in the transition period from PostBank Uganda to Pearl Bank, which is more than a name change but an opportunity to leverage business within the country and across the region as it continues to extend tailored financial solutions that usher Ugandans to the endless opportunities that inspire their growth and prosperity.
Other than the rebrand, September last year was a significant period for the bank as it attained a global sustainability certification from a prestigious Sustainability Certification by the European Organization for Sustainable Development (EOSD), demonstrating the Bank’s efforts and commitment to champion sustainable initiatives that are aligned with its overall strategy and purpose of Fostering Prosperity for Ugandans implemented through its two high impact goals; To drive sustainable financial inclusion and To stimulate entrepreneurship and service.