Equity Bank Uganda has recognised 80 customers for their loyalty, business growth, community contributions and continued engagement with the bank, according to Red Pepper. The recognition took place during Customer Service Week 2026, which the bank marked under the theme "Going the Extra Mile."
The honoured customers were drawn from various sectors and were celebrated at a customer appreciation breakfast held at Protea Kampala on Thursday. Red Pepper reports that similar celebrations were held across the bank's regions in northern, eastern and western Uganda.
Those recognised included some of the bank's longest-serving active customers, its most progressive customers, repeat borrowers, top depositors and customers whose work has made a notable difference in their communities.
Why it matters
The event highlights how long-term banking relationships can extend beyond routine transactions into business expansion and community development. For Equity Bank Uganda, the recognition also served as a platform to address service challenges the institution has faced, including system failures that frustrated some customers, and to outline investments made to improve service delivery.
Customer stories show financing and guidance at work
For some of those honoured, the relationship with the bank has grown far beyond ordinary transactions.
Alfred Anyoti, Managing Director of Ana Investments Uganda Limited, began his relationship with Equity through a personal account in 2011. More than a decade later, that relationship has expanded alongside his agricultural engineering business, helping him pursue larger opportunities.
Anyoti said that when he needed capital to grow his business, his relationship manager, Hillary Andrews, advised him on how to strengthen his financial position. With few assets available as security at the time, he invested approximately Shs500 million in developing property, which later improved his ability to access financing.
He went on to secure a government contract worth about Shs1 billion, with financing from Equity Bank enabling him to carry it out. Anyoti said business opportunities often come with tight deadlines, and that accessing financing at the right moment can make a major difference.
His experience illustrates how access to finance, combined with financial guidance, can help businesses move from smaller opportunities to larger contracts.
For Solomon Serwanjja, the relationship with Equity began much earlier in his personal journey. He opened an account with the bank while he was a university student. Today, his organisation holds about five accounts with the bank.
Serwanjja serves as Chairman of Bamutakudde Village and CEO of the African Institute for Investigative Journalism. He is championing a five-year development plan aimed at improving livelihoods in his community.
The plan includes increasing access to clean water, strengthening accountability and raising household incomes. According to Red Pepper, the community is pursuing plans to sink three boreholes after geological studies identified suitable locations. Serwanjja is also promoting a poultry initiative that would bring households together in production, branding and marketing of eggs.
The target is to help households work towards earning at least Shs20,000 a day. Serwanjja said the aim is for community members to work together to improve the places where they live.
Bank acknowledges service gaps and outlines investments
Speaking at the breakfast, Equity Bank Uganda Head of Customer Experience Jael Christine Wawulira said the celebration was a chance to appreciate customers while reflecting on the experiences the bank creates for them. She said going the extra mile requires businesses to listen to customers, respond with empathy and ensure customers feel valued.
Equity Bank Uganda Executive Director Claver Serumaga said the stories shared by customers demonstrated the positive impact of relationships that often go unnoticed publicly.
He acknowledged, however, that the bank has faced challenges, including system failures that have frustrated some customers. He said the bank has invested in technology, systems and its people to improve service delivery.
Those investments include a dedicated technology team, a new data centre opened earlier this year, upgraded internet and mobile banking platforms and improved technology for Equity agents, according to Red Pepper.
The bank is also reviewing its branch coverage and strengthening its contact centre to improve access to customer support.
Serumaga said about 90 per cent of the bank's staff had received artificial intelligence certification, equipping them with skills to help customers explore how technology can improve their businesses.
The recognition of the 80 customers highlighted different dimensions of the bank-customer relationship, from saving and borrowing to business expansion and community development.
For Anyoti, financing helped turn a business opportunity into a contract worth about Shs1 billion. For Serwanjja, a relationship that started with a university account has evolved into a partnership supporting broader community ambitions.
The stories, shared as part of Customer Service Week, reinforced the bank's message that going the extra mile is not simply about transactions. It is about building relationships that help customers grow and enabling them to use those opportunities to create impact in their families, businesses and communities.
As similar customer appreciation events take place across Equity Bank Uganda's regions, the bank is using the week to celebrate not only the customers it serves, but also the journeys that have developed alongside those relationships.
What to watch: whether the bank's stated investments in technology, branch coverage and staff training translate into measurable improvements in customer experience in the months ahead.
