Kampala, Uganda: The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has deregistered 90,000 companies from the Register of Companies after they failed to seek restoration within the statutory period following their removal for non-compliance with annual return filing requirements.
The latest deregistration, announced by the Registrar of Companies in a public notice on August 3, 2026, marks one of Uganda’s largest corporate compliance enforcement exercises and forms part of URSB’s ongoing efforts to clean up the national companies register by removing inactive and non-compliant entities.
The Registrar said the affected companies had previously been struck off the register under Section 130(6) of the Companies Act, Cap. 106, after failing to file annual returns for a continuous period of five years.
“Pursuant to Section 130(6) of the Companies Act, Cap.106 and by notices dated 20th July 2023, 14th August 2023 and 30th August 2023, the Registrar of Companies struck some companies off the register for failure to file annual returns for a period of five years,” the notice states.
The Registrar added that companies wishing to remain on the register were given a legal opportunity to restore their status. “Companies desirous of being restored onto the register were required to apply to the Registrar of Companies to be restored within twelve months from the date they were struck off.”
However, the notice says thousands failed to act within the prescribed period. “The Registrar of Companies has deregistered 90,000 companies that failed to apply for restoration.”
The full list of the affected companies is accessible on the URSB website, while business owners and stakeholders have been advised to contact any URSB office nationwide for guidance and clarification.
Part of an ongoing compliance exercise
The latest action follows a series of large-scale compliance exercises undertaken by URSB over the past two years. In December 2025, the Bureau deregistered 50,003 companies that failed to apply for restoration after being struck off for non-compliance.
That was followed by another deregistration exercise on June 18, 2026, during which 37,702 companies were removed from the register under the same legal provisions after failing to regularise their status within the restoration window.
The compliance drive traces its origins to 2023, when URSB published notices striking off more than 180,000 companies that had failed to file annual returns for at least five years and invited them to regularise their records before permanent deregistration.
Why annual returns matter
Annual returns are a statutory requirement under Uganda’s Companies Act and enable the Registrar to maintain accurate records on a company’s legal existence, directors, shareholders and operational status.
URSB has consistently maintained that companies which fail to submit annual returns for prolonged periods are presumed inactive unless they demonstrate otherwise.
The Bureau has previously explained that filing annual returns confirms that a company is still operational and that its statutory records remain current.
You can check the full list of deregistered companies here
What deregistration means
Under Uganda’s corporate law, a deregistered company ceases to exist as a legal entity, meaning it can no longer lawfully conduct business in its registered name, enter into contracts as that company, or enjoy the legal rights associated with incorporation.
Once the applicable restoration period expires, the company’s name may also become available for registration by another applicant.
Companies that were struck off initially had a 12-month restoration window during which they could apply for restoration through URSB’s Online Business Registration System (OBRS), update their company information, file outstanding annual returns and comply with other statutory requirements. Those that failed to do so have now been permanently deregistered under the latest notice.
URSB has urged company directors and business owners to remain compliant by filing annual returns on time, updating company records regularly and responding promptly to statutory notices to avoid similar sanctions in future.
The Bureau says maintaining an accurate and credible companies register is critical to strengthening corporate governance, improving transparency and supporting a more reliable business environment in Uganda.
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