The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has deregistered 90,000 inactive companies in one of its largest compliance clean-ups in recent years. In a notice issued on 3 August 2026, the Registrar of Companies confirmed that the entities were removed pursuant to Section 130(6) of the Companies Act, Cap. 106. The companies had failed to file annual returns for five consecutive years and did not utilise the 12-month administrative restoration window that followed public notices issued in 2023. URSB Principal Communication Officer Dennis Nabende said the move is aimed at maintaining a clean, credible and functional business register. “Annual returns are not just paperwork. They tell us and the public whether a company is still active and whether its details are current,” Nabende stated. “When companies fail to file for five years, the law requires us to strike them off.” Deregistered companies immediately lose legal personality. They can no longer enter contracts, open bank accounts, sue or be sued in their registered names. Their names also return to the public domain and can be taken by any third party. The full list of the 90,000 companies has been published on the URSB official portal. Former owners who still hold assets or pending contracts under the deregistered entities must now apply to the High Court for reinstatement. URSB has urged all active companies to file their annual returns promptly and keep their records updated to avoid a similar fate. King Musah Media will continue following corporate compliance developments.