The government is moving to eliminate the use of multiple identification systems across public and private institutions by adopting the National Identification Number (NIN) as a single identifier for citizens, including for tax identification.
The Bank of Uganda has welcomed the move, saying a unified identification system will help combat fraud, improve coordination among institutions and make it easier to verify individuals and their transactions.
Bank of Uganda Executive Director for Risk and Strategy, Phillip Wabulya, says the current use of multiple identification systems creates gaps that can be exploited by fraudsters.
Wabulya says harmonising identification systems around the NIN will enable institutions to easily share and verify information while reducing duplication and identity-related fraud.
He was speaking at the launch of the My Identity Expo and Symposium 2026, organised by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA). The expo is scheduled to take place from September 24.
NIRA Executive Director Rosemary Kisembo says the expo is aimed at increasing public awareness about the importance of national identification and encouraging more Ugandans to register.
Kisembo notes that only about 75 percent of the population has so far been registered by NIRA, leaving a significant proportion of Ugandans outside the national identification system.
She says expanding registration and strengthening the use of a single identifier will be critical to improving access to government and financial services, while enhancing the country’s ability to establish and verify the identity of individuals.
The government says integrating identification systems is expected to create a more efficient and secure framework for service delivery, administration and financial transactions.
