Company plans to widen data usage, lower tariffs MTN Uganda’s Chief Executive Officer, Wim Vanhelleputte who has spent eight months in office describes himself as a forward looking manager wanting his leadership to grow company profitability while meeting customer demands. He says the most critical thing he is currently preoccupying …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Motor vehicle inspection deal
Is the mandatory vehicle inspection exercise manned by multinational company, SGS worth it for Uganda? With two months to the date of apprehending motor vehicles that have not gone through mandatory vehicle inspection exercise, only 5,000 units out of over 800,000 motor vehicles on the road have been inspected …
Read More »Banks fight over Chinese businesses
Stanbic Bank again makes Chinese businesses irresistible offers Uganda imported US$700 million worth of goods from China last year and exported goods valued at US$30 million over the same period, according to the latest government data. But the skewed trade figures between Uganda and the world’s second largest economy do …
Read More »URA, UBA launches new online payment solution
Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and United Bank of Africa (UBA) have launched tax payments through online and point of sale –POS (card swiping) methods, powered by VISA and MasterCard. Speaking at the launch of the service at URA’s headquarters in Nakawa on Tuesday March 28, URA’s Commissioner General Doris Akol …
Read More »Uganda fails to gain from high tea prices
20% decline in supply at Mombasa auction in first 10 weeks of 2017 pushes prices up Prices of tea at the Mombasa Auction, the world’s second largest selling centre have been high this selling season – at US$3 per kg in the first 10 weeks of 2017 compared to US$2 …
Read More »Oil and gas development to boost hotel industry
Jean – Philippe Bittencourt, is the general manager for Sheraton Kampala Hotel. He spoke to The Independent’s Julius Businge on the prospects of Uganda’s hotel industry. How would you describe the 50 years journey of Sheraton Kampala Hotel? It is a landmark in our lives and we will continue to …
Read More »BUSINESS: Declining interest rates
Bank managers explain recent cuts to 20% average Effective this month most commercial banks started charging lower interest rates on flexible existing and new loans with analysis indicating about 20% is the new average industry rate compared to around 23% a period before. The move is expected to boost uptake …
Read More »ANALYSIS: After Park Yard evictions
Can Hamis Kiggundu deliver on his promise? Ham Shopping Grounds is a tiny concrete cream building, often called a mall, about half the size of standard football pitch with four floors and flat concrete roof-top right at the edge of Uganda’s oldest sports arena; the Nakivubo Memorial Stadium. The stadium …
Read More »BUSINESS: Refinery offers golden opportunity
New $20mn firm welcomed but analysts say government must strengthen legal and monitoring framework of minerals sector President Yoweri Museveni’s launch of a $20 million African Gold Refinery Ltd (AGR) – the first in East and Central Africa – in Entebbe on Feb.20 was a bold step welcomed by …
Read More »Agency banking: Stanbic to hire 1000 agents
Other banks say the government needs to urgently pass regulatory framework Stanbic has identified about 1000 agents to deal with as soon as the proposed new agency banking is legalised, according to the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda’s largest bank, Patrick Mweheire. In an interview with The Independent, Mweheire said …
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