The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has been recognised for its contribution to improving Uganda’s business environment after winning the…
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- URSB wins award for easing business registration KAMPALA. The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has been recognised for its contribution to improving Uganda’s business environment after winning the Outstanding Trade Facilitation Institution of the Year award at the 2026 KACITA Quality Awards. The award recognises URSB’s efforts to simplify business registration, promote formalisation and improve access to services for businesses and entrepreneurs. The recognition comes as the bureau expands its efforts to bring registration services closer to businesses, particularly small enterprises operating outside the formal economy. Recent figures show that URSB registered 17,790 businesses through mobile registration clinics over the past three financial years. The mobile clinics, which have been conducted in different parts of the country, are intended to address challenges such as distance, limited awareness and access to registration services that often prevent small businesses from formalising. In the 2025/26 financial year, the bureau registered 7,739 businesses through 65 mobile clinics after reaching more than 26,000 clients. The formalisation drive is significant for Uganda’s business sector, where many small enterprises continue to operate informally. Formal registration gives businesses a recognised legal identity and can improve their ability to access financing, participate in tenders and engage with other formal business opportunities. URSB has also been investing in digital services to reduce the time and cost involved in accessing registration services. The bureau is further preparing to roll out Entity Registration Numbers (ERNs) for non-individual entities, including companies, associations, trusts, cooperatives and other organisations. The system is expected to improve the identification and management of registered entities and make it easier for them to interact with government agencies. The award also comes after URSB received ISO 9001:2015 certification, reflecting efforts to standardise its processes and improve service delivery. URSB said the KACITA recognition affirms its commitment to making registration services more accessible and responsive to the needs of Uganda’s business community. The bureau said it would continue working with the private sector and other stakeholders to encourage formalisation and improve the business registration process. For businesses, particularly small and emerging enterprises, reducing the barriers to formalisation remains important as Uganda seeks to broaden the formal tax base, improve access to business opportunities and strengthen the private sector.
