Kampala, Uganda: The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has reported strong growth in revenue collection, digital transformation and business formalisation during the 2025/26 financial year, as the institution unveiled an ambitious roadmap aimed at further modernising Uganda’s registration services.
According to the Bureau report for the ending financial year, URSB collected UGX80.6 billion in Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) during FY2025/26, representing an increase of UGX8.792 billion, or 12.2 percent, compared to the previous financial year.
The growth was largely driven by increased uptake of business registration and other registry services, reflecting growing confidence in formal business registration and the Bureau’s expanding contribution to domestic revenue mobilisation.
Thousands of businesses formalised
URSB also expanded access to government services through nationwide business registration clinics, which generated more than UGX4.147 billion in non-tax revenue while facilitating the registration of 7,739 new businesses.
The outreach programme brought registration services closer to communities, reducing barriers to business formalisation and encouraging greater participation in Uganda’s formal economy.
The Bureau said digital transformation remains at the centre of its reform agenda. In FY2026/27, URSB aims to achieve 90 percent automation of its registries and reduce the average time required to register a business to two hours.
The reforms are expected to simplify business processes, improve accessibility, lower transaction costs and enhance customer experience through faster and more efficient digital services.
URSB also recorded significant progress in legal and institutional reforms during the year. Among the key milestones was the establishment and rollout of the Non-Individual Register (NIR), a centralised repository designed to improve management of non-individual entities operating in Uganda.
The Bureau said the initiative was developed through extensive stakeholder consultations, regulatory impact assessments, validation meetings and requirements-gathering exercises involving both public and private sector actors.
Institutionally, URSB attained ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System certification, accompanied by staff capacity-building programmes aimed at embedding quality management principles across the organisation.
Leadership credited for performance
The Bureau attributed its strong performance to strategic leadership from its Board of Directors and Management.
The Board, chaired by Ambassador Francis K. Butagira, together with the management team led by Registrar General Mercy K. Kainobwisho, oversaw implementation of the Bureau’s Fourth Strategic Plan, focusing on digital automation, institutional efficiency and quality management.
URSB also acknowledged the support of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao, saying continued government backing has enabled the institution to deliver on its transformation agenda.
Additional achievements during the year included increased uptake of the Security Interest in Movable Property Registry (SIMPO), expanded intellectual property awareness campaigns, establishment of four new Technology and Innovation Support Centres, and business rescue and aftercare training benefiting more than 1,055 entrepreneurs across Uganda.
Priorities for FY2026/27
Looking ahead, URSB says it will prioritise accelerating business formalisation through nationwide registration drives, expanding automation across all registries and increasing public awareness and compliance.
The Bureau also aims to prioritize promoting innovation and intellectual property protection, strengthening business rescue and aftercare services, and improving customer satisfaction through efficient, transparent and accessible services.
The Bureau is targeting UGX87.087 billion in Non-Tax Revenue during FY2026/27 while continuing to support enterprise development, investment, innovation and Uganda’s broader socio-economic transformation agenda.
Established under the Uganda Registration Services Bureau Act, URSB is responsible for business registration, intellectual property administration, civil registration, movable property security interests and related registry services. In recent years, the Bureau has accelerated digital reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business, strengthening innovation ecosystems and expanding access to government registration services across Uganda.
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