The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has announced plans to gradually phase out the Tax Identification Number (TIN) in favour of the National Identification Number (NIN), as the authority moves towards a system where every taxpayer will have one unique identifier.The announcement was made on Day 2 of the My Identity Expo and Symposium 2026 during a panel discussion focusing on the integration of taxpayer identification with the national identity system.
URA Manager Domestic Tax Registration Ann Ruth Agwang said the current phase involves mapping existing TINs to taxpayers’ NINs as the authority prepares for the transition.“We are working towards gradually phasing out the TIN in favour of the NIN. It’s important to note that the NIN is issued to individuals, so as we transition, every taxpayer will be expected to have one,” Agwang said.She encouraged taxpayers to visit URA’s exhibition tent or any URA office to have their existing TIN mapped to their NIN.Christine Mirembe, Assistant Commissioner for Client Services, Domestic Taxes, said the long-term goal is to have one individual and one identifier.“Moving forward, it’s one individual, one identifier,” Mirembe said during the Day 2 panel discussion.URA Ag. Manager Tax Education Elizabeth Aketch explained that the integration will merge taxpayer information into one unified profile, giving every taxpayer a single unique identifier for easier identification across URA services.
Aketch said the system will also make registration and amendments easier while helping eliminate duplicate records and improving access to services across government agencies that work with URA.Mirembe said updating the NIN to serve as the taxpayer’s identifier will also support better government planning and facilitate the issuance of tax credit certificates where applicable.She further explained that the integration will strengthen verification by ensuring that accurate biometric information is linked to taxpayer records.On concerns about privacy, Mirembe assured taxpayers that their information remains protected, noting that URA officers are bound by an Oath of Secrecy sworn upon appointment.She said URA’s mandate does not permit officers to expose taxpayers’ personal information and that confidentiality requirements apply at every level of the authority.
Agwang also said the integration is expected to strengthen efforts against identity theft by making it easier for URA to verify exactly who it is dealing with.According to her, the system will create a clearer distinction between individuals and their records, making it more difficult for someone to impersonate another taxpayer.
Hafsa Seguya, a Supervisor in Tax Education, said the integration will also help the business community by bringing different identification records together under one system.She explained that different government agencies currently operate with their own unique identifiers, and URA is working to use the TIN-to-NIN integration to connect these identities.Seguya said a single unified register would help government plan more effectively and improve the delivery of programmes and services such as Emyooga.The Day 2 discussions therefore focused on how the TIN-to-NIN integration could simplify taxpayer identification, reduce duplication, strengthen verification and improve coordination between URA and other government agencies.
