MTN, dfcu Renew Push to Scale Women-Owned Businesses

  Margaret Karume, ED dfcu Bank

By Our Reporter

MTN Uganda and dfcu Bank have intensified efforts to support women entrepreneurs through the second phase of the Advancing Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) programme, with business leaders calling for stronger financial systems, mentorship and operational discipline to help women-led enterprises scale sustainably.

The programme, launched at MTN Uganda headquarters in Kampala on May 22, is implemented together with partners including Innovation Village, American Tower Corporation, Private Sector Foundation Uganda and NSSF Hi Innovators.

The initiative is designed to help women-owned businesses transition into corporate-ready enterprises through procurement readiness training, digital transformation, financial literacy and access to networks.

Originally introduced in October 2023 as a three-year programme running until November 2026, AWE seeks to increase the participation of women-owned businesses within MTN Uganda’s supply chain ecosystem across sectors such as technology, logistics, commercial services and infrastructure support.

According to MTN Uganda, the first phase of the programme enabled more than 40 women-owned enterprises to secure contracts worth over Shs18 billion. The telecom company also onboarded 118 women entrepreneurs in 2024 as part of its wider target to integrate 250 women suppliers by 2025.

Speaking during the launch, MTN Uganda chief executive Sylvia Mulinge said women entrepreneurs continue to play a vital role in Uganda’s economy and require stronger institutional support to compete effectively.

“Women entrepreneurs are essential contributors to Uganda’s economy. Through second phase of AWE, we are creating opportunities for women-led businesses to access corporate markets, strengthen their operational capacity and grow sustainably,” Mulinge said.

Her remarks come against the backdrop of studies by the World Bank and International Finance Corporation showing that women-owned businesses across developing markets continue to face significant barriers in accessing finance, procurement opportunities and structured business networks.

However, speakers at the Kampala launch argued that the issue is less about lack of ambition and more about limited access to growth ecosystems.

Margaret Karume, executive director at dfcu Bank, said many women entrepreneurs struggle to scale because they remain excluded from structured financing, markets and mentorship.

“What many of these women lacked was not ambition, because they had the ambition, but access. Access to markets, access to structured business knowledge, to networks, access to finance,” Karume said.

She noted that women entrepreneurs are increasingly venturing into sectors traditionally dominated by men, including manufacturing, logistics and technology, but still face challenges transitioning from informal businesses into structured enterprises.

“You need proper financial records, sound systems, digital tools, procurement readiness, governance, compliance with the laws and regulations of the land and confidence to sit across the table from corporate customers and investors and say, my business is ready,” she added.

Karume described the AWE initiative as a broader business growth ecosystem rather than a simple entrepreneurship training programme.

“This is not simply a training program. It’s an ecosystem intentionally designed to move women-owned businesses from potential to participation and from participation to scale,” she said.

dfcu Bank disclosed that under the programme’s first phase, it opened 90 accounts for participating entrepreneurs and committed Shs30 billion in financing support over the programme period. So far, Shs2 billion has been disbursed to 19 businesses under contract financing arrangements.

Karume nevertheless cautioned entrepreneurs against depending entirely on financing without strengthening operational systems.

“Capital without capability can limit sustainability,” she said.

Innovation Village co-founder Japheth Kawanguzi highlighted partnerships and collaboration as critical ingredients for enterprise growth.

“Partnerships are translating into tangible growth,” Kawanguzi said.

“Venture building and strengthening the enterprise is our role in this innovation.”

Business advisory expert William Nyakatura urged women entrepreneurs to focus on operational excellence if they are to maintain corporate contracts and compete effectively in formal supply chains.

“Manage your cash flow, unit costing, secure resilient supply chains, mind about your customer, they’re the king,” Nyakatura said.

He also advised SMEs to prioritise compliance, systems and standard operating procedures.

“Build robust operations, master your finances, and build standard operating procedures. Statutory compliance are critical for business growth,” he added.

Nyakatura further encouraged entrepreneurs to leverage opportunities from large corporate clients such as MTN Uganda and ATC Uganda to accelerate expansion.

“Grab that market quickly when you’ve two big customers like MTN and ATS,” he said.

Mabel Ndawula, executive director of dfcu Foundation, said many women-owned businesses still struggle with financial management and working capital planning despite increasing business opportunities.

“There should be a difference between business cash and money for personal or family needs,” Ndawula said.

She added that the programme aims to help entrepreneurs migrate from manual operations to digitally managed businesses capable of long-term growth.