President Museveni (2nd Left) is the brain behind affirmative action, which has enabled many women advance in the education space and at the workplace
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Steady progress in helping women entrepreneurs formalise their businesses as a key step in unlocking access to the government-backed GROW loans.
According to the GROW Project Quarterly Report for the period October–December 2025, issued in February 2026, dozens of women have already transitioned from informal operations into formally recognised enterprises through targeted technical support.
“The thematic area targets GROW loan borrowers to formalise their businesses with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), aimed at strengthening legal compliance, enhancing business credibility, and improving readiness to access finance, participate in higher-value markets, and achieve sustainable growth,” the report states.
The intervention is delivered through Business Development Service (BDS) advisors who provide hands-on support to beneficiaries, guiding them through documentation and registration processes.
“To date, a total of fifty-nine (59) enterprises have registered with URSB,” the report notes, highlighting the growing uptake of formalisation services among women entrepreneurs.
These businesses are spread across multiple districts, including Kampala, Masaka, Mbarara, Kapchorwa, Lira, Moroto, Kitgum, Wakiso, Jinja, Mpigi, Bugiri, Kamuli, Kyenjojo, Kabarole, Gulu, Lwengo and Ibanda. Notably, “all the entities registered are sole proprietors, a reflection of the early stage of formalisation,” PSFU observes.
The report adds that the project intends to scale up these efforts. “We plan to reach out to companies for registration through PFI branches in the cities and profile the registered enterprises to document business growth, compliance gaps, and readiness for business and the required additional BDS,” it states.
The 5-year GROW Project, implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development in collaboration with PSFU on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, is supported by a World Bank grant aimed at boosting women-led enterprises.
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