Befriend banks: Ocici advises entrepreneurs

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Banks are a good ally for any entrepreneur who is trying to create a presence in the market, Charles Ocici, Enterprise Uganda’s Director General, has said.

He was speaking to investors, industry leaders, and fellow entrepreneurs during the annual Pakasa Forum being held at the Enterprise Uganda Training Centre in Butabika.  

Ocici said that many success stories in the business world are known to have a steady relationship with one or several banking institutions. 

“Blaming the bank for one’s failure is a sign of failure on the part of an entrepreneur. Before obtaining a loan, an entrepreneur has to examine his cash flow and find out whether his or her income can support the loan repayment schedule,” he said.

Several entrepreneurs who presented during Pakasa all attributed their success to having a long-running relationship with banking institutions.

Dr Canon Gaster Lule, the proprietor of Ntake Bakery and Company Ltd, hailed Centenary and Pearl Banks, who have also sponsored the forum, as having made him what he is today.

Aga Sekalala Jr, the managing director of Ugachick Uganda Ltd, said that the purchase of machinery, which has made it possible to establish a hatchery, with a current production capacity of 700,000 one-day chicks a month, was funded by their bankers.

The Pakasa Forum 2025, which was organised by Vision Group in partnership with Enterprise Uganda, is running under the theme: Opportunities and Ideas for Growing Businesses. 

The forum has brought together over 1,500 participants.