ONC Partners With Tamini To Launch Uganda’s First Islamic Insurance Drive

By Gad Masereka

The Manager of the Office of the National Chairman, SPA Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, on Friday, 27th, February, 2026 hosted a press conference at the Office of the National Chairman in Kyambogo, unveiling Uganda’s first Islamic insurance initiative in partnership with Tamini General Insurance and Salam Bank, in a move aimed at widening financial inclusion among low income earners and Muslim entrepreneurs.

The launch, addressed by Tamini’s Chief Executive Officer Mohamud Omar, also known as Ahmad, brought together religious leaders, business owners and community mobilisers to introduce a takaful based insurance model designed to operate in line with Islamic financial principles. The initiative seeks to respond to long standing concerns within the Muslim community about conventional insurance models that conflict with their beliefs.

Omar explained that Tamini does not operate as a stand alone entity but as part of a wider ethical finance network across East Africa and the Horn of Africa, arriving in Uganda as a sister company of Salam Bank. He noted that although the insurer is new to the Ugandan market, its operational expertise is rooted in regional experience, particularly in Kenya, where Islamic finance structures have steadily gained acceptance.

He described takaful as a system built on mutual assistance and voluntary contribution, where members contribute to a collective pool that supports participants in times of loss. “Unlike conventional insurance where profits are retained solely by the company, our model allows participants to share in any surplus generated at the end of the financial year,” Omar said. He added that all investments would be directed toward Sharia compliant ventures and overseen by a board of scholars to ensure transparency and fairness in every transaction.

According to Omar, the company’s commitment to Uganda goes beyond profit. Its goal is to deepen insurance penetration by reaching communities that have historically felt excluded from the financial system. He said many Muslim traders have avoided insurance and banking services due to religious concerns, leaving their businesses vulnerable to shocks such as fire, accidents or natural disasters. Tamini, he stressed, intends to provide peace of mind without compromising faith.

Hajjat Namyalo framed the partnership within the broader Ramadan outreach programmes traditionally undertaken by the Office of the National Chairman.

She said the holy month offers an opportunity not only to support the poor through charity but also to equip them with sustainable tools that protect livelihoods. This year’s focus, she noted, is on low income earners whose small businesses form the backbone of local economies.

“We have partnered with Tamini and Salam Bank to ensure our businesses become risk free and better protected,” Namyalo said. She described the initiative as a practical response to recurring losses that have left many families economically and emotionally strained. By encouraging what she termed calculated risk taking, she urged traders to safeguard their enterprises rather than rely on blame when misfortune strikes.

Citing Uganda’s low insurance penetration rate, which has hovered around one percent for years, Hajjat Namyalo argued that improving uptake to even three or five percent would significantly strengthen household resilience and broaden the national tax base. She emphasised that the scheme is open to all Ugandans regardless of religion, though it directly addresses the concerns of Muslims seeking Sharia compliant financial solutions.

The official public launch of Tamini General Insurance is scheduled for March 3, 2026 at Millennium Park in Lugogo, with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni expected to preside as chief guest. Organisers say the event will also include an iftar gathering with low income earners, symbolising a shift toward inclusive economic empowerment during Ramadan.

As the press conference concluded, both company executives and ONC officials called on business owners, religious leaders and community members to embrace the new model. They expressed confidence that ethical, community driven insurance could play a transformative role in protecting assets, stabilising households and advancing Uganda’s broader financial inclusion agenda.