





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

URSB Joins WIPO to Celebrate IP Examiners’ Day, Launches New Examination Guidelines
The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) last week on 11 November 2025 joined the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in commemorating World Intellectual Property Examiners’ Day under the theme “Celebrating and Empowering IP Examiners.” The event was held at the Uganda Business Facilitation Centre in Kololo.
The celebration recognized the vital role played by IP examiners in assessing applications for patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and geographical indications, work that supports innovation, technology development, and entrepreneurship globally. Every year, IP examiners review and determine millions of applications that drive industries ranging from agriculture to medicine.

During the celebrations, URSB launched the new Examination Guidelines and Examiner Profiles, designed to provide a standardized approach for trademark examiners when conducting substantive examinations under the Trademarks Act, Cap. 225 and the Trademarks Regulations, 2023.
The initiative forms part of a global WIPO project launched in January 2025 to increase the capacity and recognition of IP examiners. The project was first proposed by Saudi Arabia in 2024 and focuses on building examiner networks and raising public awareness about their contributions.
As Uganda’s national IP office, URSB reaffirmed its commitment to supporting examiners through continuous training and improved systems. The Bureau noted that the expertise of IP examiners directly contributes to national socio-economic growth, fosters innovation-led enterprises, and strengthens Uganda’s position as an emerging hub for creativity and technology.