The URSB Business Registration Initiative has entered its third year with bigger targets, stronger strategies, and sharper nationwide outreach. After two years of steady growth, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau plans to accelerate business formalisation across Uganda.
Launched in September 2023, the program aims to expand the national business register, promote the benefits of formalisation, and increase Non-Tax Revenue (NTR). Over its first two years, the campaign recorded impressive progress. Registrations grew from 3,195 with shs 609 million in NTR during the first year to 6,856 registrations and shs 3.89 billion in NTR in the second year.
With the 2025/26 financial year underway, URSB has set more ambitious goals. The bureau plans to register 234,897 businesses, including 137,906 business names and 96,991 companies, while collecting shs 24.65 billion in NTR.
Registrar General Mercy K. Kainobwisho emphasized that the campaign is about more than statistics. “The Mass Business Registration Campaign empowers entrepreneurs, formalizes enterprises, and unlocks opportunities for growth. This financial year, we want to bring more than 235,000 new businesses into the formal economy to strengthen Uganda’s economic fabric,” she said.
The third phase will apply a more targeted and inclusive model. It features two weeks of intensive registration activities across all cities and in selected high-potential business communities. Planned locations include Greater Kampala (Kampala, Wakiso, Entebbe, Mukono), all ten other cities such as Gulu, Jinja, and Mbarara, and over 20 districts from Kasese to Kotido.
In addition, URSB will expand awareness campaigns through various media platforms while strengthening mobile business clinics. Field officers will not only provide on-the-spot registration support but also follow up with potential registrants. As a result, the outreach will become more effective and inclusive.
Each clinic will be preceded by a survey to identify suitable venues and engage local leaders. Moreover, this preparation will boost attendance, secure community buy-in, and improve communication on the value of business registration.
Officials note that the steady year-on-year growth confirms the effectiveness of taking services directly to communities. In the 2024/25 financial year, URSB held 65 mobile clinics and engaged more than 25,900 citizens, which tripled the reach compared to the first year. Therefore, the mix of physical presence, targeted messaging, and grassroots involvement has proven successful in breaking barriers to formalisation.
As the third year unfolds, the initiative focuses not only on numbers but also on creating a culture of formal business operations. With higher targets, wider coverage, and refined strategies, the URSB Business Registration drive is set to accelerate Uganda’s progress toward a more inclusive, competitive, and revenue-generating business environment.
