KAMPALA – Centenary Group has partnered with MicroPay Uganda to develop digital solutions aimed at improving access to education, healthcare and insurance services, in a move expected to deepen financial inclusion across Uganda.
The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Centenary Technology Services (Cente-Tech) and MicroPay Uganda at Mapeera House in Kampala, seeks to simplify how individuals and families access and pay for essential services by combining technology with community-based delivery channels.
The collaboration brings together MicroPay Uganda’s digital payments platform and Centenary Group’s nationwide reach, technology capabilities and extensive presence in communities across the country.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Centenary Group Board Chairman Prof. John Ddumba Ssentamu said the partnership builds on the institution’s long-standing commitment to serving communities that have traditionally been excluded from mainstream financial services.
He said Centenary has always focused on reaching ordinary Ugandans, including market vendors, smallholder farmers and rural households, adding that the new collaboration represents another step towards extending meaningful financial inclusion to the last mile.
Under the agreement, the partners will jointly develop digital solutions to make education financing more flexible, expand access to healthcare services and improve the delivery of insurance products.
For the education sector, the partnership will explore platforms that enable parents and guardians to save for school fees, pay in instalments and potentially access financing based on their payment history. Schools are also expected to benefit from improved visibility of fee collections and cash flows.
In healthcare, the partners plan to leverage digital technology and agent networks to bring services closer to communities, reducing the challenges associated with distance, access and payments.
The insurance component will focus on digitising policy access, enabling more flexible premium payments and streamlining claims processing to make insurance services more accessible and reliable for households.
Peter Kahiigi, Chief Technology Officer at Centenary Technology Services, said technology has the power to eliminate barriers created by geography and income, allowing underserved communities to access essential services more conveniently.
He said Cente-Tech will contribute its technological expertise alongside Centenary Group’s ecosystem, including the recently launched GonzaPay platform, which is supported by more than 9,000 Cente Agents across Uganda, enabling digital services to reach communities beyond conventional banking channels.
Kahiigi added that the partnership would ultimately be judged by tangible improvements in customers’ lives, including faster school fee payments and quicker insurance claims processing. He noted that the collaboration also presents opportunities for regional expansion, with successful solutions potentially being rolled out in Malawi and other markets where Centenary Group operates.
MicroPay Uganda Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ndyareeba Grace Stuart said meaningful financial inclusion can only be achieved through strong strategic partnerships.
She said MicroPay brings more than 12 years of experience in digital payments and operates under licences issued by the Bank of Uganda as both a Payment Service Provider and a Payment System Operator, positioning the company to complement Centenary Group’s extensive community reach and innovation capabilities.
According to Dr. Stuart, the partnership reflects a shared commitment to expanding access to essential services and extending financial inclusion to underserved communities across Uganda.
Prof. Ddumba said the true success of the partnership would not be measured by the signing ceremony but by the impact it delivers to ordinary people.
“Partnerships are not proven at ceremonies like this one. They are proven months later, in bursars’ offices and trading centres, by people who will never read the document we sign today.”
The two organisations said the partnership reaffirms their commitment to using technology, innovation and collaboration to deliver sustainable solutions that improve the lives of individuals, families and communities across Uganda.
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