Global impact investment manager, BlueOrchard Finance Ltd has partnered with Uganda-based fintech JUMO to support MSMEs and job creation.
The BlueOrchard Microfinance Fund has committed $7.5 million to JUMO’s innovative asset-backed securitisation (ABS) financing structure in Uganda, strengthening the expansion of access to finance for underserved entrepreneurs and individuals in the country. This ABS financing is the first of its kind, built specifically for e-money microfinance in Africa.
The custom-built ABS financing vehicle enables micro and small enterprises (MSMEs) to access credit directly through their mobile phones, empowering them to grow their businesses and create jobs in their communities. The initiative’s social and economic impact is profound, as a large proportion of these MSMEs live below the poverty line , and research shows that half of them employ at least one other person. JUMO’s technology alongside BlueOrchard’s capital investment makes it possible and viable to positively impact newcomers to financial services, including those living on under $10 a day.
BlueOrchard’s investment marks a significant step in mobilising additional capital for JUMO’s ABS structure, ensuring that more entrepreneurs, particularly first-time borrowers, can access the financing they need. By contributing to this facility, BlueOrchard supports a scalable model that can be replicated across multiple markets in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The ABS structure was first announced in June 2024, with Standard Bank as the sole arranger and senior lender. The solution unlocks local currency financing for JUMO’s Uganda portfolio, allowing the company to scale lending on more favourable terms. Over time, the partners intend to replicate this model in other African markets where they operate together, further developing local financial marketplaces and mobilising capital for inclusive growth.
It is estimated that more than 4 million clients in Uganda will benefit from accessing finance through the ABS structure, many of whom will be accessing formal credit for the first time.
Jeanne de Guillebon, Regional Manager Africa at BlueOrchard, said: ‘We are proud to back this pioneering structure with JUMO, which aligns strongly with BlueOrchard’s mission to foster inclusive and sustainable growth. By blending financial innovation with deep social impact, we can reach thousands of underserved entrepreneurs and help catalyse economic resilience in Uganda and beyond.’
Andrew Watkins-Ball, founder and CEO of JUMO, said: ‘BlueOrchard’s participation is an incredible boost for our ABS financing structure and an important endorsement of how fintech and impact investors can work together to drive financial inclusion for overlooked market segments. This investment will expand our sustainable lending solutions and open doors for a new class of borrowers.’
About JUMO
JUMO has developed AI-led financial technology that enables banks to offer a new generation of digital credit and savings products to millions of entrepreneurs in Africa. JUMO works with partners, such as banks, e-money operators and payments providers, to facilitate high-tech information and money management systems.
Since its founding in 2015, JUMO has disbursed over $8.8 billion to 36 million people in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Benin and Cameroon. JUMO’s administration of over 270 million individual loans has proven that microcredit in Africa is imperative, impactful and sustainable.
With unmatched speed to market and low infrastructure costs, JUMO aims to bring banking to everyone, everywhere, at any time.
