Interswitch East Africa has added Housing Finance Bank (HFB) to its Quickteller Agency Banking network, giving the bank's customers access to cash deposits, withdrawals and balance enquiries through more than 23 000 agents across Uganda, according to Pulse Uganda.
The partnership was officially launched on 4 November at HFB's head office in Kampala. It aims to extend the bank's services beyond its physical branches, bringing routine transactions closer to customers in urban centres, towns and rural communities.
Under the agreement, customers can deposit money into their HFB accounts by providing agents with their account numbers, account names and deposit amounts. Withdrawals are processed using HFB debit cards at agents' point-of-sale terminals, where customers enter their four-digit personal identification numbers. Customers can also check their account balances through the terminals.
The partnership had already processed transactions worth more than UGX49 billion during its pilot phase, HFB chief operating officer Robert Kusiima said at the launch. He described the transaction volume as evidence of agency banking's potential to reach customers underserved by conventional banking channels.
HFB operates approximately 22 branches across Uganda. The Quickteller network provides an additional distribution channel, allowing the bank to extend its reach beyond traditional branch-based services.
The bank's head of distribution and alternative channels, Ivan Kakembo, said the partnership would bring banking services closer to customers, including farmers, market vendors and small business operators.
For Interswitch, the agreement is expected to increase transaction volumes across its agent network and create additional income opportunities for outlet operators. Interswitch Uganda country general manager Moris Seguya said the partnership would enable agents to offer more services and attract additional customers.
The collaboration builds on an existing relationship between the institutions through domestic switching services, which connect banking services across participating financial institutions.
The expansion highlights the growing role of agency banking in extending access to formal financial services across Uganda.
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