NIRA Registers 9.1M Ugandans in Two Months, Urges Public to Keep Turning Up
The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has recorded a remarkable surge in national ID registrations, with 9.1 million Ugandans processed in just two months.
The figures, announced by NIRA Registrar Claire Ollama during the weekly police briefing at Naguru headquarters, highlight both a wave of renewals and an encouraging rise in first-time registrants, particularly children.
Ollama broke down the statistics:
“In this exercise, within two months, we have registered 9.1 million Ugandans. Of these, 8 million were renewing their IDs, 800,000 were registering for the first time, and the rest had some form of identification previously but are now applying for their first national ID.”
She said the trend reflects a growing appreciation for the importance of official identification:
“It shows that those who have embraced the gospel of registration are truly committed to being identified. The majority are renewing, but since we started registering children, we have reached 800,000 and that is many. People are beginning to hear and appreciate the value of a unique identity for children.”
The registrar stressed that a national ID is more than a document — it is a lifelong asset:
“If you still have a child in your household who is not registered, you are doing them a disservice. As parents, there are many gifts we can give, but few are like a national ID. It is a gift that keeps on giving from birth, when it helps with obtaining a birth certificate, through school trips, university enrollment, and even for legal matters later in life.”
She urged families to take advantage of the ongoing school holiday to register their children:
“A national ID stays with a person from the time they are born until they sign out of this world. We pray that during this holiday season, you will make the choice to enroll your child and secure their future.”
With the numbers already breaking records, NIRA hopes the momentum will continue, ensuring every Ugandan — from infants to the elderly — has a secure, verifiable identity.
