The e-registry portal (www.businesslicences.org) will be hosted and operated by Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) with support from the World Bank Group.
This new service, which was launched last week, will reduce bureaucratic procedures allowing for a one-stop shop for business registration and licensing.
It will also help boost Uganda's ranking in the annual global Doing Business Survey.
The URSB, which is in charge of business registration, intellectual property rights, civil registrations, also acts as official receiver in liquidation of companies and collects Non Tax Revenue.
The Minister Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Maria Kiwanuka, officially launched the service and said it is expected to improve government transparency, regulatory compliance and increase revenue through greater small, medium enterprises (SME) participation in the formal sector.
"This is expected to attract high quality investments and create better jobs for Ugandans," Kiwanuka said.
The Minister said in line with current efforts to improve the business environment in Uganda, the government has concluded talks with the World Bank for a $100 million line through the Competitive and Enterprise Development Project (CEDP).
Of this, $10 million is to support URSB in automating the business registration and licensing processes. These reforms will not only translate into more efficient services delivery, but will also, minimize the cost of compliance to business and licensing.
The e-registry portal will provide easy access to comprehensive information on licensing requirements for various business activities in Uganda.
Business enterprises, large and small can now easily access the portal for detailed information on relevant application forms and contact details of relevant regulatory agencies.
This is part of the business environment and investment climate reforms that are being implemented by various agencies including the Ministry Of Justice And Constitutional Affairs under the stewardship of the Ministry Of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
As the host agency, URSB will coordinate with all other agencies of
government that are involved in the licensing life cycle through arranging interagency activities and ensuring periodic updates of the licenses issued by those agencies.
Arthur Kwesiga the URSB Manager for IT, while demonstrating how the portal works noted that portal launched is an informational portal and that next on the agenda is putting up a transactional portal which will allow service like reserving of a business name or registering a business to be delivered online.
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