UTOF SACCO offers low-interest loans to boost taxi operators’ livelihoods

3 August 2026, 5:21 pm

By Ronald Ssemagonja

As part of efforts to improve the financial well-being of taxi operators in Uganda, the Federation of Uganda Taxi Operators (UTOF) SACCO has urged members of the public, particularly those in the taxi industry, to take advantage of its low-interest loan scheme.

Speaking to journalists in Kampala today, the SACCO Secretary General, Hajji Nsimbi Yusuf, said the initiative was established to provide affordable financial services to taxi drivers and conductors, reducing their reliance on moneylenders.

Nsimbi said the SACCO currently has nearly 5,000 members and offers loans at affordable interest rates with minimal requirements.

He added that hundreds of members have already benefited from the scheme, noting that many have improved their livelihoods after accessing affordable credit.

According to Nsimbi, members only need a recommendation from their taxi stage chairperson to qualify for a loan, while non-members can also access loans after undergoing a thorough verification process.

He appealed to the government to provide financial support to the SACCO so that it can expand its services and achieve its initial target of serving at least 10,000 people.

Nsimbi said additional funding would enable more taxi operators to repair ageing vehicles, purchase new taxis, and repay their loans through manageable instalments.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Namayiba Taxi Park, Faizo Lule Ssebiruumbi, urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant as schools prepare to close for the second-term holidays.

Lule advised the public to use only gazetted taxi parks and travel with recognised taxi operators, warning that some individuals falsely pose as members of the taxi industry.

He also assured passengers that taxi fares would remain unchanged during the school holiday period.