





Chief Guest Dr. Mary Teopista (Center), Amb. Francis Butagira, Registrar General Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho and URSB board members pose for a photo at the URSB ISO Certification External Stakeholders celebration
Hon. Nobert Mao congratulates the Registrar General, Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho, and Board member, Ms. Lydia A. Sekkabira on the ISO 9001:2015 certification milestone
Mr. Hamidu Tumuhimbise, a senior Registration Officer, attends to a client during the UEB claimants exercise at the Uganda Business Facilitation Center, Kololo
A delegation from PACRA led by the Deputy Registrar Mr. Chewe Peter Chilufya (Center) visited URSB for a 3 days benchmarking visit on the Intellectual Property Registry on how systems operate, the digital improvements implemented and how these reforms contribute to reduced turnaround time
A delegation from UNOC visits URSB to benchmark on the Digital Transformation Journey.
Director General WIPO Mr. Daren Tang, Minister of Justice Hon. Nobert Mao, The Registrar General Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho, URSB Board members a delegation from WIPO pause for a photo at the Uganda Business Facilitation Center during the DG’s mission to Uganda

H.E. Rt. Amb. Francis Butagira: How commercial diplomacy is propelling Uganda’s Economic Growth
Uganda is positioning itself as a global investment destination through strategic commercial diplomacy and technological innovation, said the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) Board Chairman H.E. Rt. Ambassador Francis Butagira recently.
In an exclusive interview with UBC last week, Ambassador Butagira explained that URSB has introduced key reforms to streamline business registration and promote innovation and has taken significant steps to engage the diplomatic community in Uganda’s investment agenda.
“Through diplomatic channels, Uganda can effectively communicate its investment potential to the world. If we want Uganda to succeed, we must proactively sell our country and host investment forums,” he stated.
URSB has digitised over 90% of its services to enhance the ease of doing business. Entrepreneurs can now register businesses online, significantly reducing processing times from months to a few hours. This shift towards formalisation is crucial for economic growth, as it ensures that businesses operate legally and gain access to credit, government tenders, and international markets.
The Role of Innovation Hubs in Economic Development
Innovation is the backbone of any thriving economy, and URSB is actively promoting technological advancements through its innovation hub. Ambassador Butagira noted, “This hub serves as a central resource for inventors, providing access to classification conventions and verification tools via the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Entrepreneurs can now determine whether their innovations are original and receive guidance on intellectual property registration.”
URSB has partnered with 34 universities across Uganda to educate students on patent registration. Previously, many innovators lacked awareness of this process, but through these efforts, 11 patent applications have already been filed.
Uganda’s journey towards becoming a global investment hub is gaining momentum. With streamlined business registration, diplomatic engagement, and a dedicated innovation hub, the country is well on its way to unlocking new economic opportunities.