Airtel Money, NSSF renew partnership to widen access to voluntary savings
Airtel Money and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) have renewed a partnership designed to make it easier for Ugandans in the informal and emerging workforce to save for the future through SmartLife Flexi, NSSF's voluntary savings product.
The renewed deal was unveiled at a media briefing at Golden Tulip Hotel in Kampala, where officials from both organisations laid out how the partnership will work and who stands to benefit.
Speaking at the event, Raymond Ssekatawa of Airtel Money's enterprise department explained that the collaboration gives members of the public a straightforward way to open and fund a SmartLife account without visiting a banking hall. Subscribers can dial the USSD code 185*7#, select option 5, and opt into NSSF to register for an account and start saving immediately.
"NSSF will tell you, SmartLife is an option for you to be able to save conveniently at any location at a very low cost," Ssekatawa said, adding that savings can also be managed through the NSSF Go app or directly on Airtel Money. According to him, contributions can start from as little as UGX 500 and go up to UGX 5 million or more, with withdrawals processed within a day once a saver's funds have matured after a one-year holding period.
Ssekatawa was keen to stress that SmartLife is entirely voluntary. "It is not the mandatory saving, it is a saving where you can withdraw at ease after saving for one year," he said, describing it as a cushion savers can fall back on once they have built up a balance.
The numbers so far suggest the product has found early traction. As of 28th August 2026, less than two years after launch, SmartLife Flexi had attracted more than 130,000 enrolments and built up a total asset base of UGX 199.3 billion.
Airtel Uganda, which counts more than 20 million subscribers on its network, is positioning that reach as the engine for the next phase of growth. Japhet Aritho, Managing Director of Airtel Mobile Commerce Uganda Limited, said the partnership was aimed squarely at Ugandans who fall outside conventional salaried employment. "Whether you are a trader, boda rider, farmer, entrepreneur, or self-employed professional, SmartLife gives you an opportunity to save consistently and secure your future," he said.
For NSSF, the tie-up extends its mandate beyond the formal sector it was originally built to serve. Gerald Paul Kasaato, the Fund's Deputy Managing Director, said SmartLife was designed to bring social security coverage to Ugandans in both the formal and informal economy, as well as those in the diaspora. "Our partnership with Airtel Money enables us to reach more people where they are, using a trusted digital platform that they interact with daily," Kasaato said.
Transaction costs have also been kept low, with charges as low as UGX 150 per contribution, a figure both organisations say is intended to remove cost as a barrier to consistent saving.
The two organisations say the partnership will now be backed by a joint awareness campaign spanning digital platforms, social media, customer activations, and community outreach, aimed at building financial literacy and encouraging more Ugandans to adopt a habit of long-term saving.
