Centralised digital register to streamline business services

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A centralised digital system designed to formalise all non-individual entities and eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks in government service delivery has been rolled out.

The initiative, dubbed Non-Individual Register (NIR), was unveiled by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) during a stakeholders’ engagement at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja city on May 7, 2026.

Some of the participnats during the NIR stakeholders’ engagement held at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja City on May 7, 2026. (Photo by Donald Kiirya)

The event drew local government leaders, the private and civil society, chief administrative officers, commercial officers, community development officers, and members of the business community from across Busoga region.

A unified digital identity for entities

Representing URSB registrar general Mercy Kainobwisho at the opening, commissioner for finance and administration Ambrose Ekaju said the NIR establishes a single source of truth for every non-individual entity operating in Uganda. This includes companies, partnerships, NGOs, co-operatives, and community-based organisations (CBOs).

Under the new system, each entity is assigned a Unique Entity Registration Number (ERN), which will act as a universal digital ID, allowing different government agencies to instantly verify an organisation’s legal status.

"For a long time, entities have been registered across multiple agencies, resulting in fragmented data and duplication," Ekaju stated, adding that the centralisation is designed to make things efficient and workable even for the common individual.

Boosting local investment and compliance

Jinja Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Salim Komakech, who officiated as the chief guest, underscored the practical benefits of the register for local development.

He noted that formalisation is the primary gateway for community groups, such as those under the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga, to access government contracts and financial opportunities.

"Once you are registered as an entity, you are recognised as a legal person. It also protects your intellectual property," Komakech said.

He shared a personal anecdote regarding a multi-billion-dollar project where his lack of compliance with registration filings resulted in missed opportunities and heavy fines, urging local leaders to ensure their constituents stay up to date.

Komakech rallied leaders and other stakeholders across Busoga to collectively embrace the Government's new reform of establishing the Non-Individual Register (NIR).

He called for a collective responsibility to encourage all Non-Individual Entities to comply with the relevant requirements.

Komakech further implored all stakeholders to ensure that entity registration data is harmonised under the Non-Individual Register.

Under the Centralised Non-Individual Register, entities that, among others, include companies, partnerships, associations, trusts, cooperatives, Non-Governmental Organisations, and collective investment schemes, among others, will each be issued a unique Entity Registration Number (ERN).

The role of local government

URSB principal registration officer Charlotte Mudoola detailed how the system will integrate with local government operations. Local officers will now enter entity data, including physical addresses and beneficial ownership, directly into the national repository.

Busoga Kingdom's minister of general duties Edward Munaaba (seated left), Jinja RCC Salim Komakech (seated middle), Ambrose Ekaju (seated 2nd right) the Commissioner in charge of Finance and Administration at URSB and Caroline Egesa (seated Right) the Commissioner Registration Services in charge of Insolvency and Receivership at URSB, in a group photograph with some of the stakeholders after the NIR stakeholders’ engagement. (Photo by Donald Kiirya)

She emphasised that the NIR will move toward a paperless and borderless service model.

"We are trying to make it easy so that our businesspeople don’t have to move from Jinja to Kampala and back for simple registrations," Mudoola explained.

Timeline and next steps

The NIR is mandated by the Tax Procedures Code (Amendment) Act of 2025. URSB officials confirmed that the system is in its final stages of testing, with a full rollout expected by June 2026.

Closing the engagement, Caroline Egesa, Commissioner for Registration Services, thanked the participants for their input, noting that stakeholder feedback would be used to refine the system before its official launch.

"This is a transformative tool to strengthen formalisation and improve coordination—we are committed to providing the guidance and platforms required to ensure a smooth transition to this centralised system," Egesa said.

Key Benefits of the Non-Individual Register include: one ERN for all government platforms, reduces the need to visit multiple government offices, secures entity names and intellectual property, and simplifies the process of bidding for government contracts.