Bank of Africa Uganda has made the digital banking experience hassle-free by introducing a simple process to open an account using a mobile. Ian Muwonge, the bank’s Project Manager, stresses the bank’s aim of being accessible by stating, “We have done all we can do to make it as easy as possible for the customer to open an account and get banking services without going to a branch.”
During a press brief at the bank’s head offices on Lugogo-pass, shortly after launching the ‘Appsolutely Eassy” Campaign, Muwonge walked the press through the seamless, end-to-end process. Here’s your step-by-step guide to opening—and immediately using—your digital account in under fifteen minutes.
Step 1: Download the Mobile Wallet App
Begin by downloading the Bank of Africa Mobile Wallet app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). Once installed, launch the app to initiate your digital account setup.
To keep onboarding fast, the bank has limited the information requested. Before you dive into step 2, have these two essential items ready: National ID and Mobile Number registered in your name (this will also serve as your primary contact and the channel for one-time passwords).
Step 2: Input Personal Details
Once you launch/open the app, select GET STARTED and then select OPEN ACCOUNT, and select BOA DIGITAL ACCOUNT. From here, you are prompted to enter your full name as it appears on your National ID, mobile number which must be registered in your name, date of birth which will be verifed from your National ID, nationality, and a preferred branch (for administrative purposes, though transactions can be done anywhere).
“Selecting a branch doesn’t restrict you from visiting other branches; it’s just a reference point,” clarifies Muwonge.
For another secure communication channel, the app will ask for your email address. This ensures that account alerts, statements, and any critical notifications reach you reliably. In addition, in case the bank needs to credit you outside this digital account, enter another mobile-money number registered in your name. This backup ensures uninterrupted service.
Step 3: Verify Your Identity with Photos and OTP
The app will guide you on taking a live selfie and photos of your National ID’s front and back.
Behind the scenes, the system integrates with telecom and government databases to confirm that the ID number and your name match official records for real-time verification. Only once your ID is validated can you proceed. “We confirm the ID is valid and matches your name before proceeding,” said Muwonge.
Immediately after uploading, a one-time password (OTP) is sent to the mobile number you provided. Enter this code to prove you’re in possession of that phone. “This step ensures security and that you’re physically present with the phone,” says Muwonge.
With identity confirmed, you’ll see a congratulatory message, then you proceed to step 4.
Step 4: Fund Your Account
A minimum initial deposit of UGX5,000 is required—a low barrier aimed at broadening access. The app allows you to transfer funds directly from your mobile money wallet (Airtel or MTN). “You don’t need cash—just input the mobile number linked to your mobile money,” Muwonge highlights.
Step 5: Receive Your Credentials and Start Transacting
Once funded, you’ll instantly receive your new Bank of Africa account number and login credentials for the mobile wallet. From here on, the possibilities open up for you to start transacting. You can send money to other mobile networks or banks, pay utilities (electricity, water), or school fees—all from the app.
Ian Muwonge’s vision for Bank of Africa Uganda is crystal clear: provide Ugandans with the ability to “have a transaction wherever you are, at any time” in a very simple way. By digitalizing KYC procedures, incorporating mobile money options, and ensuring a completely paperless process, the bank has been diminishing the conventional barriers and altering the mode of customer-bank interaction.
The bank’s commitment to absolute quickness and simplicity can be seen from the account setting experience—Muwonge confirms, “If you’re quick, in 10–15 minutes you’ll have a functional account.”
Everywhere, be it at home, during travel, or just to avoid the hassle of long queues, the system is suitable for both first-time users and seasoned clients, thus providing accessibility but not at the expense of quality. This customer-centric orientation opens doors to the bank’s new strategy of inclusive, smooth banking rather than a hassle-free one, where efficiency and ease collide to redefine the way of financial transactions all over Uganda, not only as a matter of convenience.
If you want to know more about the “Appsolutely Eassy” campaign, here is the LINK.
