Pearl Bank Managing Director, Julius Kakeeto, has grown the bank’s loan book from Shs760bn to Shs1 trillion in monthsPearl Bank whose purpose is to foster prosperity for Ugandans has reaffirmed its ambition to become Uganda’s leading indigenous, digitally driven and impact-focused financial institution, as the Bank accelerates lending to productive sectors, expands financial inclusion and aligns its growth strategy with Uganda’s long-term economic transformation agenda.Pearl Bank Managing Director Julius Kakeeto said the Bank’s rebrand from PostBank Uganda a year ago was an important step in building a stronger national identity while positioning the institution to compete more effectively and deliver measurable economic impact.Since the rebrand, the Bank has expanded its corporate banking capabilities, strengthened its agricultural and SME lending, attracted new customers and strategic funding partners, and continued scaling Wendi, its digital financial inclusion platform.Pearl Bank’s loan book has now crossed UGX1 trillion, up from about UGX760 billion reported at the end of 2025. Kakeeto said retained earnings and continued shareholder support had provided the capital required to sustain the Bank’s growth.“Capital is like fuel. It keeps you on the road. It has enabled us to keep lending and keep growing our loan book. This year alone, our loan book has grown by more than 30% so far,” Kakeeto said.Pearl Bank Managing Director, Julius Kakeeto, has grown the bank’s loan book from Shs760bn to Shs1 trillion in monthsAgriculture accounts for approximately 35% of Pearl Bank’s loan portfolio, with the Bank increasingly focusing beyond primary production towards agro-industrialisation, value addition and exports. Pearl Bank has also been a major participating institution in government programmes including the Agriculture Credit Facility, Small Business Recovery Fund and financing for large-scale farmers.The Bank is increasingly aligning its lending with the Government’s ATMS growth priorities, that is, Agro-industrialisation, Tourism development, Mineral development, and Science, technology and innovation, as well as the sectors that enable their growth.Financial inclusion remains another major pillar. Through Wendi, Pearl Bank has facilitated more than UGX3 trillion in Parish Development Model disbursements to over three million households. Its agency network has grown to more than 14,000 agents, with the Bank targeting approximately 20,000 and ultimately an agent presence in every parish.Digitalisation is also fundamentally changing how customers interact with the Bank. Five years ago, branches handled about 80% of Pearl Bank transactions; today they account for approximately 8%, even as overall transaction volumes have increased fivefold. The Bank expects this proportion to decline further as mobile, agent and other self-service channels expand.Kakeeto said Pearl Bank intends to combine commercial discipline with its mandate to foster prosperity for Ugandans.“We would like to see an indigenous or homegrown bank with a local identity that is at the forefront of fostering prosperity for Ugandans in real terms with measurable and quantifiable goals that deliver impact to Uganda’s economy,” he said.Over the next five years, Pearl Bank expects digital banking, affordable credit, strategic partnerships and increased financing for productive enterprises to remain central to its growth and national impact agenda.The post Pearl Bank Loan Book Hits UGX1 Trillion After 30% Growth, Bets Big on Digital and Priority Sectors appeared first on Business Focus.