Uganda’s business registry has undergone a major reset, with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) deregistering 50,003 companies that failed to comply with statutory filing requirements, revealing deep patterns of dormancy across key sectors of the economy.
According to the Registrar of Companies’ notice dated 30 December 2025, the affected entities were struck off after failing to file annual returns for five consecutive years and subsequently failing to apply for restoration within the legally allowed period under the Companies Act.
A review of the deregistered entities list shows that the action cuts across multiple sectors, but is particularly concentrated in trade, real estate, construction, transport, and professional services, pointing to long-standing weaknesses in corporate compliance rather than a sudden economic shock.
A list from URSB shows the most visible cluster among the deregistered firms is general trade and commerce.
Hundreds of company names include descriptors such as general supplies, import and export, trading, merchants, and wholesalers. Many of these firms appear to have been registered to pursue specific tenders, supply contracts, or short-term trading opportunities and then fell into inactivity once those opportunities ended.
Real estate and property holding companies were heavily affected with the list also showing a significant number of real estate, property development, and property holding companies, often structured as special-purpose vehicles.
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Another prominent category is construction and engineering firms. Company names referencing construction, civil works, engineering services, and contractors feature repeatedly on the register.
A notable number of deregistered companies operate in transport, logistics, clearing, and forwarding, including haulage and cargo handling businesses.
The list also includes numerous consultancy, advisory, and professional services firms, covering areas such as project management, ICT services, business consulting, and training.
The companies have been given a twelve-month period to apply for restoration onto the company register.
