This study was carried out with the purpose of analyzing the effects of credit management on the financial performance of commercial banks in Uganda. Specifically, the study sought to establish whether there is a relationship between credit policy and performance, Capital Adequacy and performance and credit risk control and performance. In achieving the objectives assigned by the study, a causal research design was undertaken and that was facilitated by the use of secondary data which was obtained from published audited financial statements of commercial banks and the BOU annual supervision reports. The study used universal sampling techniques, where all banks licensed and operational in Uganda were selected, multiple regression was used. The findings indicated a significant relationship (r = 0.639) between credit management and the financial performance of commercial banks in Uganda. The coefficient of determination R² was 0;408 meaning that credit management indicators explain up to 40.8% of variations in the financial performance of commercial banks in Uganda. The results from the coefficients summary in the regression model indicate that the significance of coefficients of credit policy (LR), capital adequacy (CAR) and Credit Risk Control (NPL/TL) are -0.031, -0.555 and -1.005 respectively. It was therefore found that both the CAR and the NPL/TL are significant though have an impact at different significance i.e. capital adequacy and Credit Risk control have a greater impact compared to Credit policy (LR) on the financial performance of commercial banks in Uganda. It was established that there is no significant relationship between credit policy and performance of banks in Uganda, however, a significant relationship between the credit risk control, capital adequacy and the performance of commercial banks was established. It was recommended that should use a moderate credit policy as a stringent credit will undermine the financial performance. Moreover, commercial banks should seek to adequately control their credit risk by keeping lower their ratio of nonperforming loans which is the major determinant of commercial banks’ financial performance as shown in the study. The bank of Uganda should encourage banks in Uganda to use credit metrics model in controlling its risks
Keywords: Commercial Banks, Credit Management, Credit Policy, Financial Performance, Uganda
