The Government of Uganda through Uganda Investment Authority launched a One Stop Centre web portal for both foreign and local investors.
The “One Stop Centre” (OSC) web portal (www.eBiz.go.ug) is an effective solution that will offer an investor the option of applying for, and processing of, the various licences and permits he/she requires to start implementing an investment both online or by visiting the UIA offices physically.
This web portal will facilitate convenient and efficient services that reduce the number of procedures, time and cost of obtaining the relevant licenses and permits by accessing them at a single point.
Background of the One-Stop Centre Project
Government of Uganda made a proposal to turn Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) into an investors’ One Stop Centre after realising that there were multiple requirements to prospective investors from numerous agencies that play a complimentary role in promoting investment. For example, Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Uganda Registration Bureau (URSB), Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC), Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), National Environment and Management Authority (NEMA) and the Directorate of Land Registration.
One Stop Centre project aims to provide a reliable online solution to enable Investors access and apply for the various approvals electronically and mainly remotely. This solution is to put in place a web based solution to automate the current “One Stop Centre” physical processes.
Benefits of the web portal
- Improve efficiency in delivery of investor services as everything will be a click away.
- Save time by avoiding personnel moving from one office to another.
- Improve access to information on the procedures and guidelines of obtaining a licence.
- Eliminate long bureaucratic internal processes and duplication of documentation across agencies since information will be captured only once and showed electronically.
- Reduce the chances of corruption tendencies for investors due to significantly reduced physical interaction with officers in agencies.
Services offered by the web portal
The web portal is currently offering the following services for Investors
- Guiding information for Investors;
- Applying for Business Name Reservation;
- Applying for Land verification /search letter in Uganda;
- Assessment and provision of payment slip for services applied for.
Full transactions are expected by project completion date scheduled by June 2016 with more added services such as;
- Applying for Investment License
- Registering a Business name
- Applying for work permit
- Applying for Special pass
- Applying for Trading License
- Applying for Tax Identification Number(TIN)
- Paying for all the services online