---
title: "dfcu Bank GROW Loans Hit UGX 24.2B for Women SMEs"
description: "dfcu Bank says its World Bank-backed GROW programme has disbursed UGX 24.2B to 496 women-owned businesses, with a 98% recovery rate."
canonical_url: "https://liners.com/news/dfcu-grow-ugx-24-2b-women-sme-loans"
markdown_url: "https://liners.com/news/dfcu-grow-ugx-24-2b-women-sme-loans.md"
type: "article"
language: "en"
published_at: "2026-09-06T19:22:35.465Z"
updated_at: "2026-09-06T19:22:38.578Z"
---

# dfcu Bank GROW Loans Hit UGX 24.2B for Women SMEs

dfcu Bank says its World Bank-backed GROW programme has disbursed UGX 24.2B to 496 women-owned businesses, with a 98% recovery rate.

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## In Short
- dfcu Bank says it has disbursed UGX 24.2 billion to 496 women-owned businesses through the GROW programme.
- The bank reports a 98% recovery rate, meaning most borrowers are repaying on time.
- dfcu is now putting more weight on training, mentorship, and market access, not just loans.

## What Happened
[dfcu Bank](/development-finance-company-of-uganda-bank) shared an update on its GROW lending at a women borrowers engagement in Kampala on September 3. The bank said it has provided UGX 24.2 billion in financing to 496 women-owned businesses under the GROW project.

The bank also reported a 98% recovery rate. Recovery rate is the share of money paid back by borrowers, and it is often used as a quick signal of portfolio health.

dfcu’s retail banking leadership said the programme is shifting from “access to credit” to “business sustainability.” That includes financial discipline, record keeping, business systems, and risk management. It also includes practical support like mentorship, technical skills, and market access, which means helping businesses find more customers and better routes to sell.

dfcu said 215 GROW beneficiaries have completed specialised business management training in Arua, Jinja, and Kampala. The bank is also using its Women in Business advisory platform, an internal support channel for mentoring and networking.

## Why It Matters
Across Africa, SME finance often stalls after disbursement. Many small businesses struggle with cash flow planning, pricing, and basic bookkeeping, even when demand exists. That is one reason loan cycles can repeat without long-term growth.

The broader GROW programme, a government initiative supported by the World Bank, runs until December 2027. As of June 30, 2026, Uganda government agencies and the Private Sector Foundation Uganda reported UGX 161 billion had been disbursed through dfcu and other participating banks, supporting around 10,000 loans with an average size of UGX 10.3 million.

For founders and operators, the key signal is dfcu’s push to bundle capital with business development support. If that approach scales, it could improve repayment, job creation, and the ability of women-led SMEs to formalise and expand beyond local markets.

## Sources and products

- [Business Focus](https://businessfocus.co.ug/dfcu-pushes-women-beyond-loans-as-shs24-2bn-grow-financing-reaches-496-businesses)
- [dfcu Bank](/development-finance-company-of-uganda-bank)

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