Pearl Bank launches Wendi Ku Win campaign to reward digital wallet users in Uganda

Pearl Bank has launched a campaign that will reward customers who transact more than Shs 10,000 through its Wendi mobile wallet, as the bank seeks to encourage digital payments and expand financial inclusion in Uganda.

The campaign, dubbed Wendi Ku Win, was unveiled on Friday, November 6, 2026, at the Old Taxi Park in Kampala in partnership with the Uganda Taxi Operators Federation (UTOF).

Under the promotion, customers who make qualifying transactions will enter weekly draws for prizes, including fuel vouchers worth Shs 30,000, Shs 50,000 and Shs 100,000. Other rewards include smartphones, microwaves, blenders and cash prizes of Shs 100,000.

Pearl Bank executive director Andrew Kabeera said the campaign seeks to encourage more Ugandans to embrace digital financial services while giving existing customers more reasons to use the platform.

He explained that the initiative goes beyond rewarding transactions and reflects the bank's commitment to developing financial solutions that help customers manage their money.

"We believe that during this campaign, both existing and new customers will be able to interact with the Wendi platform as they make fuel payments, pay bills, make money transfers, save, conduct merchant payments, government collections, and Western Union services transfers, which is the right step of ushering more Ugandans into the digital money economy," Kabeera said.

The campaign also targets taxi drivers and operators, many of whom handle large amounts of cash daily.

UTOF chairman Rashid Ssekindi welcomed the initiative, saying digital wallets could help reduce the risks drivers face when carrying cash.

He said taxi operators have maintained a strong relationship with Pearl Bank since it operated as PostBank and have benefited from its financial services.

"Taxi drivers have embraced Pearl Bank long since it was still Post Bank, and many have benefited from it. We are grateful for the positive cooperation that has been built between us and the bank," Ssekindi said.

He added that keeping money in digital wallets could help protect drivers from criminals who target them for cash.

"Many of them get attacked and killed by robbers for carrying large sums of money, but when the money is on the account, it is safer even if the phone is stolen," he said.

Ssekindi also welcomed the fuel vouchers, saying they would benefit drivers who spend a significant share of their daily earnings on fuel.

The campaign comes as Uganda records continued growth in digital banking.

According to the Bank of Uganda's July 2025 report, active mobile banking users increased by 16 per cent, from 2.17 million in March 2024 to 2.5 million in March 2025.

The number of transactions rose by eight per cent, from 27.7 million in the year ending March 2024 to 29.9 million in the year ending March 2025.

The value of transactions also increased by 42.4 per cent, from Shs 9.9 trillion to Shs 14.2 trillion over the same period.

The figures point to growing demand for digital financial services, particularly in communities with limited access to physical bank branches.

This expansion aligns with Uganda's National Financial Literacy Strategy for 2023–2028, which seeks to improve access to affordable financial services, reduce poverty and support economic growth.

Launched in November 2023, Wendi allows customers to save, send, receive and manage money without opening a traditional bank account or owning a smartphone.

Customers with basic mobile phones can access the service by dialling *229#, while smartphone users can download the Wendi application.

The platform also offers savings products with an advertised annual interest rate of 12.5 per cent, allowing customers to choose savings plans that suit their financial goals.

It also features a SACCO management system that enables savings groups to deposit funds digitally and monitor their balances and transactions in real time.

Wendi has attracted more than one million subscribers since its launch and operates through a network of more than 13,000 agents across Uganda.

The platform has also supported government programmes, including the disbursement of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds and relief payments to victims of the Bududa landslides.

Kabeera encouraged both existing and prospective customers to embrace the platform and participate in the promotion.

"Wendi remains focused on delivering innovative solutions that help Ugandans achieve greater financial wellbeing," he said.

He urged customers to dial *229# or download the Wendi mobile wallet from Google Play or Apple's App Store to start transacting and stand a chance of winning prizes.