URA Promotes EFRIS as Economic Forum Highlights Tax Incentives, Local Jobs and Business Growth
By Our Reporter
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has intensified efforts to promote the adoption of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS), highlighting its importance in improving business record keeping, strengthening tax compliance and supporting sustainable economic growth.
Speaking during the Uganda Economic Forum 2026, URA Acting Assistant Commissioner for Tax Education, Masembe, explained that EFRIS is an automated tool designed to help businesses maintain accurate records of their sales, income and expenditure. He said the system enables business owners to track their transactions and obtain a clearer picture of their financial performance.
Masembe noted that proper record keeping is essential for businesses seeking to monitor their operations, manage expenses and fulfil their tax obligations. He explained that EFRIS helps entrepreneurs organise their financial information, making it easier to understand how money moves through their businesses and make informed decisions.
“EFRIS comes in as an automated tool, provided by URA to assist in record keeping, that gives you a clear line of sight on the expenditure and incomes and the sales that you’re making,” Masembe said.
He added that URA continues to educate taxpayers about the system and encourage businesses to adopt it as part of efforts to improve tax administration and promote transparency in commercial transactions.
According to Masembe, businesses can access EFRIS through a smartphone application, a web portal or system integration, depending on their operational needs and existing systems. These options are intended to make the solution accessible to different categories of taxpayers while simplifying the process of recording business transactions.
The URA official also emphasised the importance of maintaining supporting documents, particularly for manufacturers claiming business expenses and allowable tax deductions. He explained that proper documentation helps businesses demonstrate the legitimacy of their expenses and provides evidence to support deductions claimed when calculating their tax obligations.
The discussions at the forum extended beyond tax compliance to examine how government policies can help put more money into people’s pockets, in line with the theme of the Uganda Economic Forum 2026.
During the discussions, attention was drawn to tax exemptions and the conditions attached to them, particularly requirements intended to ensure that businesses receiving tax incentives contribute to local production, employment and economic development.
“From the policy perspective, I talked about the exemptions. Most of the exemptions are conditional,” the speaker explained.
The speaker noted that the exemptions are not simply intended to relieve selected businesses of tax obligations but are also designed to encourage economic activities that directly benefit Ugandans.
One of the conditions highlighted requires businesses to source 70 per cent of their raw materials locally, where available. The approach is intended to create markets for local suppliers, support domestic production and ensure that businesses contribute to economic activity within Uganda.
“In so doing, we want to put money in the hands of Ugandans,” the speaker said.
The discussion also highlighted local employment, with the speaker explaining that 70 per cent of the workforce should comprise local people under the policy conditions being discussed.
The speaker stressed that the objective is to ensure that Ugandans benefit meaningfully from the jobs created by businesses rather than remaining underrepresented in employment opportunities generated by investments in the country.
“We do not want a scenario where the workforce is 70%, but the remaining 30% takes 90% of the jobs,” the speaker said.
The remarks underscored the importance of ensuring that economic policies translate into tangible benefits for citizens through employment, business opportunities and increased local economic activity.
The speaker added that the overall intention is to ensure that more money remains within Uganda and is used to develop the country’s economy. By encouraging businesses to purchase locally available raw materials and employ Ugandans, the policy approach seeks to strengthen domestic industries and improve the circulation of money within the economy.
The discussions demonstrated how tax administration and economic policy can complement each other in supporting business growth. While EFRIS helps businesses maintain accurate records and meet their tax responsibilities, conditional tax exemptions are intended to encourage investment that also benefits local suppliers and workers.
As the Uganda Economic Forum 2026 explores ways to improve the country’s business environment, the discussions continue to focus on practical measures that can stimulate economic activity, support local enterprises and expand employment opportunities.
URA is encouraging businesses to learn more about EFRIS and integrate it into their operations, emphasising that accurate record keeping is essential not only for tax compliance but also for effective business management.
Through taxpayer education, improved financial record keeping and policies aimed at supporting local production and employment, the forum has highlighted the importance of creating an economic environment in which businesses can grow while more Ugandans benefit from the country’s economic progress.
