Unit trusts and NSSF Smartlife in Uganda

A unit trust pools money from many savers and a licensed fund manager invests it; a money market fund is a unit trust that holds short, low-risk loans such as treasury bills. NSSF Smartlife Flexi is NSSF's voluntary savings plan, open to anyone, with money locked for the first year.

They are commonly used for savings people want to grow without locking away for years. Most money market funds pay out within a few working days, accept small top-ups and publish a yield that moves with interest rates. Returns are not guaranteed, and unit trusts are not covered by deposit protection.

Unit trusts in Uganda are licensed by the Capital Markets Authority, which keeps a public list of licensed managers. NSSF Smartlife Flexi is regulated by URBRA. How unit trust profits and Smartlife returns are taxed is still being confirmed, so we show their returns before tax.

Below are the latest yields we track with their dates, the guides that explain how each works, and a calculator that grows the same savings plan in a fund and a fixed deposit side by side.