





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

Registrar General Highlights Uganda’s IP Evolution as Catalyst for Economic Growth
Registrar General of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho, has spotlighted Uganda’s impressive transformation from a landlocked to a land-linked and digitally connected nation, emphasizing the country’s rapidly evolving intellectual property (IP) landscape as a key driver of innovation and economic development.
Speaking at a recent high-level engagement, Ms. Kainobwisho traced Uganda’s IP journey back to 1911, noting the first trademark registration in 1912 as the foundation of a growing and robust system. “Today, Uganda enjoys a solid legal and regulatory framework, strengthened by longstanding collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO),” she said.

The Registrar General praised Uganda’s growing number of IP registrations, the deepening innovation ecosystem, and the country’s active role in international IP treaties. She stressed that IP commercialization is no longer just about owning certificates but about harnessing the financial power that comes with intellectual property.
“We have no excuse as Ugandans because we have all the environment and resources to shape the IP landscape,” Ms. Kainobwisho stated. She also highlighted URSB’s role as an enabler of national development plans like the National Development Plan IV and Vision 2040, aligning with the government’s “Musevenomics” economic approach.
A point of pride was Uganda’s registration of its first geographical indication, the Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon Coffee in 2023, achieved with support from WIPO, marking a significant milestone in protecting and promoting Uganda’s unique heritage.