Under the leadership of Mercy Kainobwisho, Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has transitioned from a routine paperwork office into a driver of business formalisation and transparency.
Through digitisation, automation, and public outreach, URSB is redefining how Ugandans register and protect their businesses.
Kainobwisho explains how technology, partnerships, and mindset change are transforming URSB into a model of efficiency and empowerment.
What excites you most about URSB’s evolving role in the business landscape?
Our mandate has grown tremendously, but what excites me most is the transformation it brings to people’s lives.
Registration is more than paperwork; it’s empowerment. When a business registers, it gains a legal identity, credibility, and access to growth opportunities. We are protecting identities, building legacies, and strengthening trust in the economy.
There is a perception that registration is slow and bureaucratic. How are you changing this?
We have dismantled bureaucracy through digitisation and automation. All our records are now digital, and businesses can register and track their progress online without relying on middlemen.
Every transaction is traceable, and nothing goes missing. We have also introduced customer feedback platforms, internal audits, and zero tolerance for corruption. What used to take weeks now takes minutes.
What has been the hardest part of this transformation?
Changing mindsets, both within and among clients. Some staff saw physical files as power, while others preferred manual processes that benefited intermediaries. We had to shift that culture.
We invested in training, technology, and welfare so that staff could embrace automation. Once they understood that digitisation was about efficiency and service, not replacing people, the transition became unstoppable.
How are you bringing registration closer to entrepreneurs?
We have taken it to the people through mobile registration clinics and door-to-door outreach in markets, universities, and innovation hubs. We simplify the process.
When people realise registration can be done instantly and at a low cost, they gain confidence in formalisation. That is how trust is built, through accessibility and reliability.
URSB works closely with other agencies. How do these partnerships add value to businesses?
Partnerships are at the heart of our work. Our current headquarters was built in collaboration with Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and Capital Markets Authority.
We have integrated systems with NIRA and other agencies to make registration and licensing seamless. We also collaborate regionally and globally, which helps us to break silos and make Uganda’s business ecosystem more predictable.
Technology seems central to your reforms.
Yes, a massive one. Anyone can now register a business or trademark online, from anywhere in the world. We have introduced mobile money and Visa payments, electronic certificates, and instant verification. Soon, we will launch a mobile app to make registration even easier.
Our goal is to make formalisation as simple as opening a social-media account.
Small businesses are the backbone of the economy. What specific support are you offering them?
We work with UIA and the Ministry of Trade to provide incubation, mentorship, and advisory services. We are helping small enterprises to formalise in 47 municipalities, and through our Security Interest in Movable Property, small businesses are using assets like equipment or produce as collateral to get credit.
We also offer business rescue and after-care services to help struggling SMEs recover.
Beyond numbers, how do you measure URSB’s real impact?
Impact goes beyond statistics. When a woman in Masaka registers her business or a young innovator protects an idea and turns it into a thriving enterprise, that is success. We track progress through customer satisfaction, turnaround time, and trust.
Many businesses still operate informally. Why does formalisation matter?
It’s the foundation of business security and growth. It costs as little as Shs100,000 to register a business name, yet many invest millions without securing ownership. By the time they register, the name is often taken.
Formalisation protects your brand, gives access to finance, and allows you to participate in policymaking. It’s no longer optional; it’s essential for survival and competitiveness.
What key reforms should entrepreneurs expect next?
We are rolling out a fully transactional e-licensing portal, a national one-stop centre for business registration and licensing, and a Regulatory Impact Analysis framework to simplify compliance.
We are also setting up a business acceleration and innovation hub for startups. We have reduced registration from 30 days to two hours, and we are now working toward instant registration.
Where do you see URSB in the next few years?
We are moving from being a registry to becoming a catalyst for transformation. By 2030, we aim to be Africa’s leading business registry, a benchmark for innovation, integrity, and service excellence.
We will keep leveraging technology and partnerships to sustain these gains. URSB isn’t just registering companies; we are helping to build Uganda’s economic future.