New financial facility to boost Ugandan businesses launches

Ms Rashmi Pillai, the Executive Director of Financial Sector Deepening Uganda. PHOTO | DAILY MONITOR | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By JONATHAN KAMOGA

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A Ugandan company is seeking to increase investment in medium and large enterprises in Uganda by offering business development support and matching others with potential investors for long term growth.

The Deal Flow Facility incubated by the Financial Sector Deepening Uganda (FSD-Uganda), a Kampala based company promoting greater access to financial services in the country, is being funded by the European Union in collaboration with the country’s Capital Markets Authority.

According to FSD, the new facility seeks to help Ugandan companies become investment ready through providing business development support and exposure to potential investors, which will increase their competitiveness and place them on an accelerated growth path.

The facility launched its call for expression of interest from eligible businesses this week, and is targeting at least 220 Ugandan companies that will get the opportunity to access business development support, and 40 companies to be matched with potential investors.

According to a statement by the FSD, the five year facility is targeting relatively mature companies that are seeking investments of not less than $500,000 in equity or debt or both.

“The DFF was designed to bridge the existing gap between private investors and investees by providing technical assistance and business development support services to potential investee companies and linking them with investors, who can provide them with medium to long term capital,” the statement reads in part.

The facility believes that through matching businesses with long-term investment capital, they will then be focused on growth rather than short-term funding needs.

The facility, according to its runners, will also be a one-stop center where companies can access some of their transaction advisory needs from tax, legal, and banking among others.

Companies eligible for the facility should be registered, located and operating in Uganda and should have been in operation for at least two years.

Uganda, one of the most entrepreneurial countries on the African continent has seen many of the businesses started by young people fail within the first year of launching for lack of access to investment capital, according to the World Bank.