





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

Uganda Participates in ARIPO Working Group on Industrial Property Protocols
The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) joined other African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) member states in the Thirteenth Session of the Working Group on the Improvement of Industrial Property Protocols, held virtually from 27th to 28th August 2025.
The session, chaired by Ms. Lorraine Takaendesa, focused on proposed amendments to the Banjul Protocol on Marks and its Regulations, aimed at enhancing clarity, aligning with international best practices, and strengthening trademark administration across the region.
Uganda’s delegation was led by Mr. Robert Mugabe, Commissioner for Registration Services–Intellectual Property, and team, as well as Sheila Ampaire Lwamafa, Senior State Attorney, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
During the discussions, Uganda made key contributions to guide the revision of the Protocol. These included advocating for clear filing processes with post-examination publication of applications, supporting the consistent use of the Nice International Classification, and recommending that the duration of protection for marks be determined by national laws.
Uganda also proposed that opposition procedures should begin only after applications are examined and accepted, ensuring issues are addressed before registration. On time extensions, Uganda suggested a streamlined approach where ARIPO manages pre-transmission requests, while post-transmission requests are handled by designated national IP offices.
Uganda’s participation demonstrated its active role in shaping regional frameworks that safeguard intellectual property and foster innovation across ARIPO member states.