NIRA: 6.1M New ID Applicants Registered, 13.3M Renewed as Deadline Extends to Feb 2026

The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has registered more than 6.1 million first-time applicants and renewed over 13.3 million national identity cards in less than nine months, as part of its ongoing nationwide mass enrolment and renewal exercise.

Speaking during the joint security weekly media briefing at Police headquarters in Naguru on December 29, 2025, NIRA Registrar Claire Ollama said the exercise, which began on April 1, 2025, was initially scheduled to run for six months but has been extended due to overwhelming public demand.

“The six months ended on November 8, 2025, but because the demand remained high, the board and management of NIRA, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, found it plausible to extend this project for a period of three months,” Ollama said.

The new deadline for the mass enrolment and renewal exercise is February 8, 2026.

Strong Progress Recorded

Providing an update on progress, Ollama said NIRA had registered 6,152,753 Ugandans who were accessing national identification services for the first time.

“We have also renewed 13,365,388 national IDs, while 636,942 first-time national ID cards have already been produced and issued,” she said.

In addition, NIRA has processed 32,351 changes of particulars and migrated 21,463,874 records from the old identification system to the new one.

“These figures reflect great progress and show that Ugandans now appreciate the importance of a legal identity,” Ollama noted.

Call to Register Children During Holidays

With schools closed for the holidays, NIRA has urged parents and guardians to use the period to register children for National Identification Numbers (NINs), stressing that the service is free of charge.

“This holiday, every child is at home. We are calling on every citizen to choose to enrol their children during this period,” Ollama said, adding that NIRA registration centres across the country remain open.

She clarified that a physical parent is not mandatory for a child’s registration. “Registering a child does not require a physical parent. A blood relative is legally accepted to help a child access this service,” she explained.

Parents or guardians are required to fill out Form 7, available on the NIRA website, and present it at a registration centre together with the child. “The child does not swear an affidavit. You only fill the form and approach a registration centre,” Ollama said.

No Fees for Children, NIRA Clarifies

Ollama also addressed widespread confusion regarding fees for changing children’s details, particularly names. “There has been confusion that the shillings 200,000 applies to everybody. No. It applies to a cardholder, not a child,” she said.

She emphasised that changes of particulars for children below 18 years are free, although a fee may apply in cases where a new certificate must be issued to replace an existing one.

Assurance for Foundlings

NIRA further reassured the public about the registration of foundlings—children with unknown parents—saying Ugandan law already protects their citizenship status.

“A child below five years who is found in Uganda and whose parents are unknown is presumed to be a Ugandan citizen by birth under the Constitution,” Ollama said.

She explained that registration in such cases requires supporting documentation, including police reports, care or placement orders, probation or child welfare reports, and other official records.

Urging Compliance

Ollama urged all eligible Ugandans who have yet to register or renew their national IDs to do so before the February deadline.

“This is a momentous exercise as required by the law of Uganda, and we encourage all citizens to comply within the remaining time,” she said.

Authorities have also appealed for patience from applicants still awaiting their national ID cards, noting that production and issuance are ongoing.