The Bank of Uganda (BoU) will temporarily suspend its Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and Automated Clearing House (ACH) services for nearly four days to facilitate a planned upgrade of the country’s payment infrastructure.
In a public notice issued on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the central bank said the services would be unavailable from 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, until 9:00 a.m. on Monday, November 9.
The temporary shutdown will affect financial institutions, government entities, businesses and members of the public who rely on the systems to process payments and transfer funds.
The Bank of Uganda said the upgrade is intended to improve the efficiency, reliability, resilience and interoperability of Uganda’s national payments infrastructure.
It will also support the implementation of the East African Community (EAC) Cross-Border Payment System Masterplan, which seeks to facilitate secure and efficient payment flows among partner states.
During the closure, RTGS and ACH transactions will not be available. The central bank has therefore advised financial institutions, government entities, businesses and individuals to make necessary arrangements in advance and process any time-sensitive payments before the interruption begins.
Customers seeking guidance on transaction-specific arrangements and alternative payment channels have been advised to contact their respective financial institutions.
The central bank said it would provide updates where necessary and issue another public notice once the upgraded services have been successfully restored.
It apologised for the inconvenience the temporary interruption may cause, saying the upgrade forms part of its efforts to strengthen Uganda’s critical payments infrastructure.
The planned upgrade comes as East African Community member states pursue an integrated regional payment system aimed at reducing transaction costs, promoting the use of local currencies and strengthening cross-border trade.
The existing East African Payment System connects the national Real-Time Gross Settlement systems of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, while the regional bloc is working to expand and modernise the platform.
