Day 2: URA Says TIN Will Be Phased Out As NIN Becomes Single Identifier
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has announced that the Tax Identification Number (TIN) will gradually be phased out in favour of the National Identification Number (NIN), with taxpayers expected to eventually use one identifier across government services.The announcement came on Day 2 of the My Identity Expo and Symposium 2026 during a panel discussion on the integration of the two identification systems.Ann Ruth Agwang, URA Manager Domestic Tax Registration, said the authority has started the process of mapping existing TINs to taxpayers’ NINs as part of the transition.“We are working towards gradually phasing out the TIN in favour of the NIN,” Agwang said, adding that because the NIN is issued to individuals, every taxpayer will be expected to have one as the transition continues.Agwang urged taxpayers to visit the URA tent at the symposium or any URA office to have their existing TIN mapped to their NIN.
Christine Mirembe, URA Assistant Commissioner for Client Services, Domestic Taxes, said the integration is intended to establish a system where each individual has one identifier.“Moving forward, it’s one individual, one identifier,” Mirembe said during the Day 2 panel discussion.URA Acting Manager Tax Education Elizabeth Aketch said the integration will merge taxpayer information into a unified profile, giving each taxpayer a single unique identifier.She said this will simplify identification across URA services while helping to address duplicate records and making it easier for taxpayers to access services.Mirembe explained that the new system will also make registration amendments easier, allowing taxpayer information to be mapped through the NIN and shared across government agencies that work with URA.
She added that having updated taxpayer information will help government improve planning and, where applicable, issue tax credit certificates.Mirembe also assured taxpayers that their personal information will remain protected during the integration process.She said URA officers are bound by an Oath of Secrecy sworn upon appointment and are required to safeguard taxpayer information.
Agwang said the integration is also expected to strengthen efforts to prevent identity theft by improving the ability of URA to verify the identity of taxpayers.She explained that linking records to a single identifier will make it easier to distinguish individuals and their respective information, reducing opportunities for impersonation.Hafsa Seguya, URA Supervisor Tax Education, said the integration will also help the business community by bringing different government identification systems together.
According to Seguya, the current existence of different identifiers across government agencies can make identification and coordination more difficult.She said the TIN-to-NIN integration will create a unified register that can support government planning and improve the delivery of programmes such as Emyooga.The Day 2 panel discussion therefore focused on the ongoing move towards a unified taxpayer identification system, with URA highlighting simplified registration, improved verification, reduced duplication and better coordination across government services.
