Results of a National Survey on Access to Financial Services in Uganda

This report presents results of a national survey on access to financial services in Uganda. The survey examined Ugandans attitude towards saving and investing, and their experiences with different types of financial institutions. Findings include:

• Ugandans have multiple sources of income such as sale of food crops, running a business and income from family and friends;
• Most have irregular incomes;
• Few Ugandans use financial institutions, leaving most of the population unserved;
• Women are more likely to be unserved than men;
• Principal barrier to using financial institutions is lack of money;
• Most Ugandans save money in multiple places for household expenses, emergencies and educational needs;
• Most Ugandans invest in livestock, farmland, existing and new businesses;
• 25 percent of Ugandans belong to informal financial groups;
• Only 6 percent of Ugandans have any form of insurance;
• Money transfers are in cash and made through friends and relatives.

Access to technology is low, and public phones are the most common form of telephone service in rural and urban areas. Mobile phones are used, but few people know how to use an ATM.