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:

1. You can hire a person (you don't need a lawyer) for approximately $200 to get you the following: a Name Search (to ensure no conflicts in the name), a Certificate of Incorporation (for a for-profit or NGO business) or Certificate of Registration (for a business name for a sole proprietor), a Registered Address and PO Box, a 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), and Memorandum and Articles of Incorporation.

OR

2. You can create your own account for about $10 for each file on the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) User Portal, and you can use that same URSB Portal to do a name search on a business name.

BUT — registering 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 registered NGOs online, but they are merging that into the URSB System in 2026.

Everyone must also register with the 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.