news 5 November 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)

What the Bank of Uganda Payment System Shutdown Means for You

The Bank of Uganda has scheduled a temporary four-day shutdown of its core payment systems to facilitate a major upgrade aimed at regional financial integration. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/how-bou-payment-system-shutdown-will-affect-you-5660416

The Bank of Uganda (BoU) has announced a temporary system shutdown affecting key national financial services as part of a broader regional integration initiative. The maintenance window is designed to modernize domestic financial networks and improve long-term infrastructure.

According to bank advisories sent to customers across the country, services such as the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), Automated Clearing House (ACH), cheques, direct debits, and electronic funds transfers (EFTs) will experience a temporary freeze. The suspension officially begins on Thursday evening and runs through Monday morning.

While high-value transfers, bulk salary payments, and cheque clearances will stall until normal operations resume, everyday transactions remain unaffected. Citizens can still comfortably use mobile money platforms, automated teller machines (ATMs), and same-bank transfers without disruption.

Financial analysts note that EFTs represent a massive volume of transactions in the country, highlighting the critical importance of modernizing these networks. The central bank has urged the public and corporate entities to plan their financial obligations ahead of the downtime to avoid inconveniences.