MOGO Uganda Strengthens Data Protection and Privacy Culture Through Leadership Training

As Uganda’s financial services sector becomes increasingly digital, protecting personal information has become an essential part of building trust between financial institutions and the customers they serve. At MOGO Uganda, we are strengthening this responsibility by ensuring that data protection is understood and practiced across every level of our operations.

On 25th September, MOGO Uganda brought together team managers and department heads for a dedicated Data Protection and Privacy Training conducted by Uganda’s Personal Data Protection Office (PDPO).

The engagement formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen awareness and practical application of responsible data management across the organisation, particularly as MOGO continues to expand access to asset financing and other financial solutions across Uganda.

The training was also part of the PDPO’s wider efforts to strengthen data protection practices within Uganda’s financial, microfinance and money-lending sectors. The PDPO is increasing engagement with financial institutions because personal information is central to the delivery of lending and financial services.

Strengthening Knowledge at Leadership Level

The session equipped MOGO managers and department heads with practical knowledge on how personal information should be collected, accessed, managed, stored, processed and protected.

Participants explored the responsibilities that come with handling customer and employee information and the importance of ensuring that data is only used appropriately and for legitimate purposes.

The training is particularly relevant to financial institutions because delivering financing solutions can involve handling information such as identification details, addresses, residency information, contact information and guarantor details. During the engagement, MOGO Uganda Head of Legal, Kaleba Hannington, emphasised the importance of treating this information with the level of responsibility it deserves.

“The training is important because we want to instil a culture whereby privacy, accountability and lawful use is part of our culture,” Hannington said.

He further stressed that organisations entrusted with personal information have a responsibility to safeguard it and respect the rights of the individuals to whom that information belongs.

Data Protection Goes Beyond Compliance

For MOGO Uganda, data protection is more than meeting a regulatory requirement. It is an important part of maintaining the confidence that customers, employees and partners place in the organisation.

Uganda’s Personal Data Protection Office is the country’s independent data protection authority responsible for overseeing implementation and enforcement of the Data Protection and Privacy Act.

PDPO guidance calls on organisations that process personal data to establish strong privacy governance structures, train employees involved in data processing, ensure lawful processing, establish appropriate policies and put technical and organisational safeguards in place. It also emphasises embedding data protection principles into everyday operations rather than treating privacy as an isolated compliance exercise.

This approach aligns closely with MOGO Uganda’s objective of building a culture where every employee understands that protecting information is part of their individual responsibility.

As our operations grow and more customers interact with our services, the amount and importance of information entrusted to us also grows. That makes responsible data management an increasingly important part of how we serve customers.

Building Trust Through Responsible Data Management

Trust is fundamental to financial services.

Customers provide personal information with the expectation that it will be handled responsibly, securely and only for appropriate purposes. Maintaining that trust requires clear processes, strong systems and, importantly, employees who understand their responsibilities.

The PDPO has highlighted the particular importance of data protection within lending and microfinance, where personal data is integral to many operational processes. During the MOGO training, PDPO Legal Officer for Compliance and Investigations Gilbert Ssettuuma noted that the regulator is using targeted training and awareness initiatives to help institutions better understand their responsibilities under Uganda’s data protection framework.

This preventive approach is especially important as Uganda’s economy becomes increasingly digital. More personal information is now being shared through mobile phones, financial platforms, online services and other digital channels, making responsible data governance increasingly important.

From Leadership to Everyday Practice

Training managers and department heads is an important step because leaders play a critical role in translating policies into everyday behaviour.

The knowledge gained from the session will support leaders in reinforcing responsible data practices within their respective teams and ensuring that privacy considerations are incorporated into daily processes and decision-making.

Whether information is being collected during a customer interaction, reviewed as part of an application, stored within company systems or accessed to provide customer support, the same principle applies: personal information must be treated with care and responsibility.

Importantly, data protection is not solely an IT, Legal or Compliance responsibility. It involves everyone who interacts with personal information.