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NIRA Urges Speed as Over 5.3 Million Ugandans Renew National IDs
At the weekly briefing held at the Media Centre, Buikwe District Registrar Ollama Claire revealed that over 5.3 million Ugandans have already renewed their National IDs, a milestone she described as commendable but still insufficient to meet the set six-month national target.
“Ugandans have spoken with their feet,” Claire told reporters. “Over 5.3 million of you have already shown up. That’s no small feat — Asante sana! But if we continue at this pace of around 840,000 renewals per week, we’ll only cross the finish line in about nine months. Yet the race we signed up for is a six-month sprint.”
The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) is now intensifying its mobilization efforts, calling on communities, parishes, and schools to rally in support of faster registration and renewal. A new national focus has also emerged: ensuring every Ugandan is registered from infancy.
“This week we refocus on why every Ugandan must be registered starting from infancy,” Claire said. “This is about inheritance, protection, ownership, justice, and national integrity.”
To accelerate early registration, NIRA is partnering with the Ministry of Education and Sports to roll out School-Centric Registration Days, where children will be registered directly through their schools. Claire urged parents and guardians to fill Form 3 or empower teachers with accurate details to ensure no child is left behind.
“Too many Ugandans are sitting on family land or assets legally registered in the names of their forebears or grandchildren,” Claire explained. “When the time comes to claim, transfer, or sell, one major obstacle arises: lack of identification. A land title with no matching NIN is a locked gate.”
She also warned against the rising trend of individuals misusing their identity by lending it to others for financial or legal dealings.
“Some of us are unknowingly endangering ourselves. You may let someone open a bank account or run a business in your name,” she said. “But when problems arise, it’s your name the law will come for. As Paul Kafeero sang in Tusuza Emyoyo, not all that glitters is gold. Protect your name as your first asset.”
Claire further emphasized the broader national risks of incomplete registration. “A single undocumented person in your household is a security risk. Full national identification shuts the doors to impersonation, fraud, and confusion in service delivery. A nation without full registration is a nation with holes in its pocket.”
In a related development, the long-awaited Change of Particulars (COP) service will officially launch on 21 July 2025, allowing Ugandans to update personal details on their National IDs. A fee of UGX 200,000 will apply for all changes not caused by NIRA, and detailed guidance is available at www.nira.go.ug.
The District Registrar also addressed rising cases of corruption and misinformation, especially from agents and internet cafés that are reportedly overcharging citizens for preregistration.
“Let us be clear: preregistration is optional, and NIRA services are absolutely free,” she emphasized. “If you cannot preregister, simply visit a NIRA station with your ID card and printed form. And if the forms are out of stock, download one directly from our website.”
With every week that passes, NIRA says the message is urgent and clear: every ID counts.
“The faster we go, the sooner Uganda reaps the full benefits of a secure, inclusive, and trusted identity system,” Claire concluded.
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