• 130 delegates from 40 countries joined the conference
• Centenary Bank, first GABV member in Africa, hosted the event
• The GABV has appointed a new Regional Representative for Africa

Kampala, Uganda, 18 March, 2025 – The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) successfully concluded its 17th Annual Meeting, hosted by Centenary Bank from March 10-13. This historic event, marking the first GABV Annual Meeting in Africa, brought together leaders from values-based banks, like-minded financial institutions, policymakers and global leaders to explore the theme ‘Building Resilient Futures: Lessons from Africa and Values-Based Banking.’ 

Over 130 delegates from 40 countries—including 30% from nine African nations—gathered to explore successful financial inclusion models, the impact of AI and emerging technologies, and the crucial role values-based banks play in financing climate adaptation, all contributing to greater resilience and impact.

Martin Rohner, Executive Director of GABV, emphasised the urgency of financial institutions adopting resilience-focused strategies to address global economic, social, and environmental challenges.

“As the world faces increasing challenges, resilience in banking has never been more critical. The 2025 GABV Annual Meeting showcased how values-based banks are leading the way—using finance as a tool for transformative change. Africa’s innovation and mission-driven leadership offer powerful lessons for the global economy. In a time of division, our shared values unite us, demonstrating that financial inclusion, climate adaptation, and responsible technology can future-proof institutions that put people and the planet first.”

Fabian Kasi, Managing Director of Centenary Bank, underscored the role of African banks in shaping a more sustainable and inclusive financial future, reaffirming Centenary Bank’s commitment to financial inclusion and community-driven banking.

“For Centenary Bank, hosting this meeting is not just a milestone, it is a defining moment. Our journey began with a mission to serve the underserved by bringing financial services to those at the grassroots, and to build economic resilience from the ground up. Today, we are honoured to be Uganda’s largest microfinance bank with over 3 million customers, many of whom are smallholder farmers, micro-entrepreneurs, and women in rural communities.”

Resiliency in the Face of Multiple Crisis

During the Opening Ceremony, Ms. Brenda Magoba, Head of Legal at Centenary Group, highlighted Centenary Bank’s remarkable growth, from a credit trust to a market leader in microfinance and the SME sector. She emphasised the bank’s significant impact, stating:“We have become the largest employer in Uganda’s banking industry, with over 3,240 staff members, and we have the widest network of branches and agents across the country.” 

Executive Director of Bank Supervision at Bank of Uganda, Mr. David Kalyango also opened the ceremony by highlighting that Africa has faced continued economic shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, but central banks, including the Bank of Uganda, have played a key role in supporting the financial sector’s resilience. “With 7% of Uganda’s workforce employed in finance, the sector remains vital in driving economic sustainability, supporting farmers, SMEs, and prioritising women and youth.”

In her keynote, ‘Building Resilience for a Continent’, activist and global thought leader Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, Former Co-President of the Club of Rome and MD at the World Bank, highlighted the need for Africa to embrace its wisdom, strengths, and interconnectedness. She emphasised that true transformation requires self-confidence, acknowledgement of history, and an education system that instils pride. “Women play a vital role in economic and social renewal, and their leadership is essential for building an equitable society. […] With its youth at the forefront, Africa has the opportunity to move beyond outdated models and create a regenerative, inclusive economy.” Dr. Ramphele further stated that partnering with global movements like the GABV will be key to shaping a financial system rooted in sustainability and resilience.

Following the keynote, a panel discussion brought together CEOs from values-based banks, ESAF Small Finance Bank (India), Bank of Palestine and LAPO Microfinance Bank (Nigeria) where they shared their insights on what resilience means for their institutions and in different contexts. 

Paul Thomas, CEO of ESAF Small Finance Bank expressed that “The main challenge in India is the diversity of the country – across language, geography and more. We must embrace this as an opportunity and not as a crisis. In our journey of resilience, we learned having community focus as values-based banks is important.”

Lana Abu-Hijleh, Board Member at Bank of Palestine emphasised that “We are a bank of the people – for the people and from the people. Bank of Palestine is committed to gender equity, youth empowerment and serving our people in crises. It is in the DNA of the bank.”

Cythia Ikponmwosa, CEO of LAPO Microfinance Bank highlighted that “At LAPO Microfinance Bank we strongly believe in resilience. One of our core values is ‘people first’.The contribution you can make as an institution is that you’re improving the livelihood of one individual at a time.”

The session concluded with remarks from Dr. Bob Bonabo Munene, Assistant Commissioner for Financial Services at the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development in Uganda, who emphasised that a strong financial system is key to driving economic progress across all sectors. Ensuring inclusive growth and stability, he noted, is essential to building a truly resilient economy.

Learnings from Africa

The annual meeting was an opportunity to learn from African values-based banks, in a continent navigating complex environmental, social, and economic challenges. The meeting dived into the increasingly important role of Africa in the global economy, and explored how banks in Africa and around the globe build resilience in the face of polycrises. With resilience as a key theme throughout the conference, participants engaged in different discussions linking this topic with others such as technology, impact, governance and biodiversity.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Joseph Nnanna, Chief Economist of the Development Bank of Nigeria, presented that Africa has shown remarkable resilience to global economic shocks, from the financial crisis to COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, by continuing to grow above the world average. He noted that by 2050, it will have the world’s largest and youngest workforce, creating vast opportunities for investment and economic transformation. “With 24% of the world’s agricultural land, abundant natural resources and a growing digital economy, Africa has the potential to shift from a raw material supplier to a hub for production and innovation. To realise this potential, fostering local labour, entrepreneurship and true partnerships will be key to driving sustainable growth over the next 5 to 10 years.”

Resilience in Technology, Nature and Mental Health

The conference explored resilience from multiple perspectives, drawing valuable lessons from Africa and best practices from values-based banking worldwide. Key topics included AI, nature conservation, and mental health. Keynote speakers and delegates offered thought-provoking insights, examining resilience through the lenses of healing, sustainability, and innovation, leaving us with powerful takeaways for the future.

Bright Simons, Ghanaian social innovator, entrepreneur, writer, social and political commentator, offered the keynote session ‘Partnering for Resilience Using AI’. Simons highlighted the growing synergy between IT and finance, unlocking opportunities in finance education, start-up funding, and transaction innovation. He remarked that Africa is leading the way in alternative credit risk models, remittance solutions, and financial inclusion strategies: “We cannot use in Africa western models of credit risk management if we want to build an inclusive financial system”. 

Surjit Chana, technology executive & Board Member of Beneficial State Bank, shared AI best practices and insights on leveraging technology for ethical, inclusive, and efficient banking. He highlighted global AI use cases that can help values-based banks drive innovation while staying true to their mission.

Michael Niconchuk, Researcher and Co-founder of the NGO, Salama, outlined Salama’s mission to integrate trauma healing with peacebuilding, humanitarian aid, and development. He emphasised the importance of safety as a fundamental pillar of community resilience, highlighting how psychological trauma impacts individuals and societies. 

Following his keynote, a panel discussion brought together representatives from GABV banks—Vancity (Canada), Opportunity Savings and Loans (Ghana), vdk bank (Belgium), and City First Bank (USA). They shared their vision and best practices for integrating mental health into values-based banking.

On the topic of Resilience and Nature, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Founder and CEO of the Ugandan NGO, Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), shared her inspiring journey as a conservationist, highlighting the vital connection between protecting gorillas and supporting local communities. CTPH integrates wildlife conservation, community health, and sustainable livelihoods to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and prevent disease transmission. Initiatives like ‘Gorilla Conservation Coffee’, responsible tourism and local crafts provide alternative incomes to reduce poaching, which is often driven by hunger. “As a result of these efforts, the mountain gorilla population has grown from 254 in 1981 to over 1,000 today.”

New Regional Representative for Africa

The African Chapter of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values currently consists of seven banks: Centenary Bank (Uganda), SIPEM Banque (Madagascar), LAPO Microfinance Bank (Nigeria), FINCA DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Opportunity International Savings and Loans Ghana and the recently joined, BRAC Uganda Bank Ltd. and Opportunity Bank Uganda Limited. In total, they serve 11.6M customers, manage almost USD 2 billion in assets and employ 14,300 people. 

Centenary Bank is the Chair of the Africa Chapter and the first African member to join the GABV. It is a pioneer in inclusive finance, and it is Uganda’s largest commercial microfinance bank serving 3 million customers and with more than USD 1.56 billion in assets.

During the annual meeting, the GABV announced the appointment of a new Regional Representative for Africa, Célestin Mukeba, who will help to strengthen and expand their presence in the region. Mr Mukeba is a seasoned banker with over 18 years of experience in the financial sector. He began his career at ProCredit Bank Congo, where he served as Deputy General Manager starting in 2008 and later as Managing Director in 2014. In 2015, following Equity Group Holdings’ acquisition of ProCredit, he was appointed Managing Director of Equity Bank Congo. 

In addition to his banking career, Mr. Mukeba has been active in promoting corporate social responsibility, serving as the Chairman of the UN Global Compact Network in the DRC, and he has been recognised twice among the Top 100 Young African Leaders by Choiseul. 

Carbon Neutral Event

Recognising the environmental impact of global gatherings, the GABV Annual Meeting 2025 was designed to minimise emissions through responsible procurement and carbon offset initiatives. Centenary Bank partnered with technical experts from Etifor to quantify and offset emissions through certified projects, ensuring adherence to the highest international carbon footprint standards. 

About the GABV

The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) is a network of independent banks using finance as a force for good. With over 70 members in 45 countries, the GABV champions financial transparency, social impact, and sustainability, collectively managing over USD 265 billion in assets and serving more than 50 million customers worldwide.

About Centenary Bank

Centenary Bank is Uganda’s leading commercial microfinance institution, dedicated to financial inclusion and sustainable banking. Serving over 3 million customers across 81 branches, Centenary Bank continues to champion ethical banking practices that drive social and economic progress. As the first African GABV member, Centenary Bank has played an important role in the alliance’s development for over 12 years.