URSB Expands Nationwide Business Drive as More Ugandan Entrepreneurs Embrace Formalisation
The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has intensified its efforts to bring business registration services closer to entrepreneurs as it enters the fourth year of its Mass Business Registration Initiative. The programme is targeting businesses operating informally by making registration services more accessible and helping owners understand the benefits of joining Uganda’s formal economy.
Launched in the 2023/24 financial year, the initiative was designed to move URSB services beyond traditional offices and reach entrepreneurs in the communities where they live and conduct business. Through mobile registration clinics, the Bureau has been able to take its services to markets, trading centres, cities and rural areas, reducing the challenges faced by business owners who may have difficulties travelling to access registration services.The programme has recorded significant growth since its introduction. Over the first three years, URSB conducted 187 mobile business registration clinics, reaching 60,199 clients and registering 17,790 businesses.
The initiative has also generated UGX 8.66 billion in Non-Tax Revenue, showing that increased access to registration services is translating into more businesses entering the formal system.Registration numbers have continued to increase each financial year. URSB recorded 3,195 registrations in FY2023/24, rising to 6,856 in FY2024/25 and 7,739 in FY2025/26. In the 2025/26 financial year alone, 65 mobile clinics were conducted, reaching 26,361 clients and registering 7,739 businesses while generating UGX 4.15 billion in Non-Tax Revenue.
The outreach programme has taken URSB services to different parts of the country, including Lira, Gulu, Jinja, Mbale, Soroti, Mbarara, Masaka, Fort Portal, Hoima and Arua. Other urban, peri-urban and rural communities have also benefited from the clinics, giving entrepreneurs an opportunity to access registration services without travelling long distances.URSB’s campaign is not only about issuing registration documents but also about educating business owners on why formalisation matters. A registered enterprise gains official recognition and can build greater trust when dealing with customers, suppliers, financial institutions, Government agencies and potential business partners.
Formal businesses can also be better positioned to seek financing, compete for contracts and participate in formal supply chains.The initiative is equally important to Government because a larger number of registered businesses creates a stronger national business database. This information can support Government planning, policy development and economic programmes, while increased registration also contributes to Non-Tax Revenue collections. The direct interaction between URSB officials and entrepreneurs further enables the Bureau to understand challenges faced by businesses and improve its services.
With the programme now entering FY2026/27, URSB is expected to deepen its community outreach and work with local authorities, business associations, community leaders and other stakeholders to encourage more entrepreneurs to formalise their enterprises. The Bureau is urging owners of informal businesses to take advantage of the mobile clinics, as the wider goal is to make business registration easier, bring Government services closer to the people and give Ugandan enterprises a stronger foundation for sustainable growth.
