I was shocked to hear (but not surprised) when an American reached out to me today to tell me that a young man in Iganga Uganda, running a cat “sanctuary” said that he paid $1000 to hire a lawyer to register his business.
Let me give you what it costs to register a business in Uganda:
- You can Hire a person (dont need a lawyer) for approximately $200 to get you the following:
- Name Search (to ensure no conflicts in the name)
- Certificate of Incorporation (for profit or NGO business) or Certificate of Registration (for a business name for a sole proprietor)
- Registered Address and PO Box
- List of Particulars (who are the Directors and Legal Secretary of the Business)
- Beneficial Owners (who benefits from this business, and what is the share capital “value” of the business)
- Memorandum and Articles of Incorporation
OR
2. You can create your own account for about $10 for each file on Uganda Registration Services Bureau URSB User Portal ©
AND
You can use that same URSB Portal to do a name seach on a business name.
BUT
The Registering of a business name or certificate of incorporation is only the first step.
If you are an NGO, then you must apply to the NGO Board for an Operating Permit in the district you want to work in, and the NGO Certificate. Currently we cannot look up online for registered NGO, but they are merging that into the URSB System in 2026.
Everyone must also register at Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) for a Tax ID Number (TIN) for their business or as a sole proprietor.
And every year, every business must submit an audited financial report to URA from a licensed CPA.
So, if you are being asked for $1000 to help a young man in Uganda who you have never met to open a business, RUN, don’t walk, RUN.