Catherine Kijjaggulwe
Head of Trading, Absa Bank Uganda
📍 UK–Africa Business, Trade & Investment Summit 2025
📅 12 September 2025 | The Royal Horseguards Hotel & One Whitehall Place, London
📍 2 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EJ
Africa is entering a new era of financial transformation — one defined by digital inclusion, innovation, and cross-border connectivity. At the 15th UK–Africa Business, Trade & Investment Summit 2025, Catherine Kijjaggulwe, Head of Trading at Absa Bank Uganda, delivered a powerful address positioning Absa as a catalyst for Africa’s digital renaissance and a bridge connecting the continent’s opportunity with global markets.
“Absa is not just a bank — it’s a continental catalyst for transformation. We connect opportunity with capital and empower Africa’s innovators to scale globally.” – Catherine Kijjaggulwe
Through a pan-African footprint spanning 16 countries and serving more than 12.7 million customers, Absa is redefining the future of banking by enabling seamless trade, digital payments, and sustainable investment through technology-driven ecosystems.
Kijjaggulwe highlighted that Africa’s fintech revolution is transforming how individuals, businesses, and governments engage with finance. Digital platforms, mobile wallets, and AI-driven models are unlocking inclusion for millions previously excluded from formal financial systems.
Absa’s digital infrastructure — spanning retail, corporate, and cross-border systems — enhances efficiency, transparency, and access, positioning Africa as a global hub of fintech-driven innovation.
“Africa’s ingenuity knows no boundaries — and neither do we.”
Infrastructure financing remains one of Africa’s greatest opportunities. Kijjaggulwe outlined how Absa’s blended finance model combines development finance, government capital, and private investment to support large-scale projects in energy, logistics, and sustainable urban development.
Under its Green Growth Initiative, Absa aligns investment with ESG principles — prioritising renewable energy, waste management, and climate-resilient infrastructure. This approach mobilises capital while building investor confidence through transparency, accountability, and sustainability.
As Africa advances trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Absa is at the forefront of facilitating secure and efficient transactions. Key solutions include:
By simplifying trade flows and deploying digital risk tools, Absa supports Africa’s vision of a unified and competitive continental marketplace.
Kijjaggulwe identified four persistent challenges in Africa–UK trade — infrastructure gaps, currency volatility, fragmented regulation, and global uncertainty — and shared Absa’s strategic responses:
Each initiative underscores Absa’s role not just as a bank, but as an architect of inclusive financial ecosystems.
Calling for deeper collaboration, Kijjaggulwe invited UK and global investors to engage in high-impact sectors shaping Africa’s digital and industrial future:
“Partnerships grounded in shared value and innovation will define the next decade of Africa–UK trade.”
Her message was clear: Africa’s transformation will be powered by digital empowerment, inclusive finance, and partnerships that prioritise innovation and sustainability.
“Together, we can build a future where opportunities are unlocked, investments de-risked, and innovation drives sustainable prosperity. Absa is your connector to global markets — and a catalyst for Africa’s digital leap.”
Africa’s digital and financial transformation is accelerating — driven by fintech innovation, blended capital, and inclusive banking ecosystems. Through Absa Bank’s leadership and cross-border partnerships, Uganda and Africa are redefining how the continent connects with global markets — transforming technology into opportunity and finance into progress.
