Diamond Trust Bank Uganda Limited

Diamond Trust Bank Uganda Limited (DTBUL) is a leading commercial bank in Uganda, licensed and supervised by the Bank of Uganda, the country’s central bank and national regulator. Known for its reliability and financial excellence, DTBUL has steadily grown into one of Uganda’s largest and most respected financial institutions.

As of December 2018, the bank reported total assets of UGX 1.606 trillion (approx. US$438.6 million) and shareholders’ equity of UGX 222.5 billion (approx. US$60.8 million). Earlier, in 2015, it ranked as Uganda’s seventh-largest commercial bank, controlling about 4% of industry assets.

Historical Background
The bank traces its roots to 1945, when it was established as the Diamond Jubilee Investment Trust (DJIT) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with branches in Mombasa, Kenya, and Kampala, Uganda. Initially a community-based finance house, DJIT was created to extend credit and mobilize savings for the East African Ismaili Community.

In 1965, DJIT was reorganized into three independent entities in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. By 1968, Diamond Trust Properties Uganda Limited was established to support Uganda’s post-independence economic growth. In 1972, Diamond Trust (Uganda) Limited (DTU) began operations as a non-bank financial institution but was forced into inactivity due to political instability until the early 1990s.

Revival came in 1995, when the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development and Diamond Trust Bank Kenya Limited recapitalized DTU. In 1997, the institution was transformed into a full-service commercial bank and rebranded as Diamond Trust Bank Uganda Limited.

Group Membership
DTBUL is part of the Diamond Trust Bank Group, a major financial services provider with operations across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi. Diamond Trust Bank Kenya Limited is the majority shareholder, owning at least 56.97% of DTBUL.

Products & Services
DTBUL provides a wide range of banking solutions for individuals, SMEs, and corporations, including: