URA Engages Manufacturers On EFRIS, Tax Reforms And UGX 46.6 Trillion Revenue Target

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has engaged manufacturers on tax compliance, digital tax systems and recent tax changes as the authority works towards achieving its UGX 46.6 trillion revenue target for the 2026/27 financial year.

The engagement brought together officials from URA and manufacturers from different sectors to discuss key tax issues affecting businesses. Richard Kariisa, Commissioner Corporate Services at URA, delivered the keynote address on behalf of Commissioner General John R. Musinguzi.

Kariisa welcomed the manufacturers and thanked them for taking time to attend the meeting. He also appreciated their continued contribution to Uganda’s development through tax compliance, noting that taxes collected by government help fund essential services and national development programmes.
He said achieving the new UGX 46.6 trillion revenue target requires strong cooperation between URA and the business community. He explained that engagements like the one held with manufacturers give URA an opportunity to clarify tax obligations, listen to concerns and provide support before issues turn into tax disputes.
The meeting also focused on the ongoing transition from TIN to NIN for individuals, TIN to RBN for companies and TIN to EBN for NGOs and other non-profit organisations. URA encouraged affected taxpayers to comply with the changes and seek assistance from URA offices or the authority’s Contact Centre whenever they need clarification.

Kariisa also addressed concerns raised by the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) concerning the requirement for taxpayers to pay 30 percent of assessed tax before a case can be admitted at the Tax Appeals Tribunal. He encouraged taxpayers to consider URA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism, which provides an opportunity to resolve tax disputes without going through lengthy and costly litigation.
A major part of the engagement focused on the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS). Yosia Kyesimba, a Supervisor in Compliance Management at URA, explained what is new in EFRIS, who is affected and how the authority is supporting businesses to adjust to the system.

EFRIS was introduced in 2021, initially targeting VAT-registered taxpayers. The system helps businesses record and track transactions while connecting sellers, buyers and URA. Among its benefits are simplified tax returns, stock management, issuance of e-invoices and e-receipts, and improved record management.
URA also explained that EFRIS can operate both online and offline, allowing businesses to continue recording transactions even when they experience power or internet connectivity challenges. The authority said the system is being improved to promote efficiency, transparency and fairness in tax administration.
The manufacturers were also briefed on Digital Tax Stamps (DTS). URA noted that expenses related to DTS can be deductible for tax purposes as long as businesses maintain the appropriate records.
Simon Busulwa from URA’s Tax Registration Maintenance team explained the ongoing transition from TIN to NIN. He said the change is intended to improve taxpayer identification, give government better visibility of people earning income and help reduce tax evasion.

Busulwa explained that the transition is also aimed at addressing challenges in the current tax register, including fragmented taxpayer records, duplicated records, service inefficiency and weak identification. The new system is expected to create a cleaner and more reliable tax register.
The meeting also introduced manufacturers to URA’s eTax2 project. Charlotte Molly Nampijja, the Business Process Re-engineering Lead, explained that implementation of the project started in February 2026. Its vision is to deliver a world-class, client-centred digital tax administration platform.

According to Nampijja, eTax2 will focus on providing a simple, reliable, intelligent, inclusive and secure experience for taxpayers, URA staff and other partners. The project will seek to reduce the number of steps required to complete transactions, make the system easier to navigate and support the adoption of NIN and BRN.
The new platform is also expected to integrate with business accounting systems, payroll systems and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. It will be web-based, with URA moving away from manual forms and Microsoft Excel-based applications in favour of a more integrated digital system.
Annet Ogwapus, Supervisor Remissions and Exemptions at URA, also explained tax measures affecting manufacturers and importers. She said the environmental levy is closely linked to the Buy Uganda, Build Uganda (BUBU) policy, which aims to support local manufacturing and aligns with regional efforts to phase out second-hand clothes.

Ogwapus further explained that import declaration fees on vaccines, medicines, medical supplies, pesticides, rodenticides, acaricides and insecticides would help reduce the landed cost of these products. This is expected to ease cash-flow challenges for businesses dealing in medical and agricultural supplies.
Manufacturers from companies including Kansai Plascon, Mukwano Industries, Uganda Breweries Limited, Ntake Bakery, Green Resources Limited, Movit, Winiefred Fashion Designers, Afros and Mos, among others, attended the engagement.
Closing the meeting, Robert Kalumba, Acting Commissioner, Executive Office Operations at URA, said the partnership between URA and UMA had continued to grow. He noted that during the 2025/26 financial year, the two organisations held nine engagements across five regions.

Kalumba said the meeting was the first engagement between the two sides in the 2026/27 financial year and highlighted the importance of involving the media and strengthening engagement with stakeholders.
He thanked UMA for mobilising manufacturers and said the strong attendance showed that businesses are interested in understanding tax changes and finding solutions to challenges affecting them. He assured manufacturers across the country that URA’s doors remain open and that the authority is ready to support them.

The engagement demonstrates URA’s continued effort to work closely with the business community through dialogue, digital transformation and improved taxpayer services. The authority urged manufacturers to actively participate in such engagements, seek clarification on tax obligations and work with URA as Uganda seeks to increase domestic revenue and support national development.