Diplomats applaud Uganda’s ease of doing business

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Uganda Registration Services Board (URSB) Board chairman, Ambassador Francis Butagira, has praised Uganda’s streamlined business registration processes, noting that these initiatives have enhanced formalisation and simplified the process for entrepreneurs to set up entities.

Amb. Butagira made these remarks while addressing the Business and Innovation Forum for commercial attachés in Uganda.

The forum was attended by distinguished foreign diplomats, ministers, URSB board members, and government representatives. It aimed to showcase URSB’s reforms and innovations, engage with the diplomatic community, and promote Uganda as an investment destination.

"Uganda is the best place for ease of doing business," he stated.

The event, hosted by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, attracted foreign diplomats, ministers, URSB board members, and government representatives.

During the meeting on March 13, 2025, Butagira informed attendees that Uganda has implemented systems that enable seamless business registration, with most services now available online.

He credited justice and constitutional affairs Minister Norbert Mao for championing the event, which highlighted Uganda’s investment advantages.

The ambassador also pointed to significant improvements in processing times, noting that company registration now takes just three hours—compared to days in the past—while business name registration can be completed within an hour.

“A key innovation is Uganda’s one-stop centre concept, eliminating the need for entrepreneurs to visit multiple offices. From one space, you can access KCCA, URA, obtain your licences, and even banking services,” he explained.

Butagira also emphasised Uganda’s progressive insolvency regime, which focuses on rescuing struggling companies rather than shutting them down. "We can help put companies back on their feet instead of sending them to a mortuary," he remarked.

The reforms have yielded tangible results, with URSB—a semi-autonomous entity—increasing revenue collection from sh300m in 2011 to over sh80b currently. The ambassador described this as "a sign of our efficiency."

Justice and constitutional affairs minister Norbert Mao reiterated Uganda’s improving business environment during a recent stakeholder engagement, highlighting URSB’s one-stop centre as a key initiative to attract foreign direct investment.

"Many good things happening in our country are not being talked about," Mao observed, noting that Uganda now offers some of East Africa’s easiest business registration processes. He explained that the one-stop centre integrates immigration, work permits, business registration, and tax services—directly addressing frustrations previously faced by foreign investors.

However, Mao expressed concerns about Uganda’s economic strategy, warning of over-reliance on borrowing. "Eventually, as a borrower, you end up belonging to the lender," he cautioned, advocating for increased foreign direct investment as an alternative funding source.

The minister highlighted Uganda’s recent removal from the international financial grey list, which has improved the country’s borrowing conditions and investor confidence. He also acknowledged ongoing diplomatic challenges with the EU and US regarding human rights issues.

"URSB remains the number one performing agency in Uganda," Mao stated, praising its achievements in intellectual property registration, including processing 2,700 trademarks and 100 copyrights.

He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to supporting innovation, citing recently launched innovation hubs and potential partnerships to reduce transportation costs through increased manufacturing investment.

Reforms and challenges

Uganda’s minister of state for foreign affairs in charge of international cooperation, Okello Oryem, shared his experience of assisting a company in registering online.

"I was impressed that there is at least something that works in Uganda," he remarked candidly.

Oryem compared Uganda’s streamlined registration process to the UK’s "off-the-shelf companies" system, noting that digital transformation has eliminated previously tedious bureaucracy that often fuelled corruption.

He congratulated Butagira and his team for "bringing us to the age of modernity and ease of doing business," but acknowledged that Uganda must continue improving its business environment to attract high-value investors.

The minister also pointed out ongoing challenges in Uganda’s business culture, including the practice of suspending operations for funerals, which he said frustrates international investors operating on tight schedules.

Looking ahead to Uganda’s oil production, Oryem expressed concerns about whether the country is prepared to manage the incoming wealth responsibly. "We need to be prepared. Instead of the money doing good things for us, we might do all the bad things," he cautioned.

He concluded by thanking Uganda’s diplomatic corps for their efforts in marketing the country to potential investors worldwide.