Cabinet has approved the use of the National Identification Number (NIN) issued by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) as the Tax Identification Number (TIN) for taxpayers.
The decision was reached during the ninth Cabinet meeting held on August 31, 2026, at State House Entebbe.
ICT and National Guidance Minister Justine Kasule Lumumba said the move will replace the separate tax identification system and create a single identity for every taxpayer.
“For years, our tax registration system has relied on a separate, largely manual TIN-based process,” Lumumba said, adding that the system had resulted in “outdated and inconsistent records.”
She said adopting the NIN as the tax identification number will improve the accuracy of the taxpayer register, strengthen the Government’s ability to identify and trace taxpayers, and enable government data systems to work together.
The measure is also intended to improve tax compliance and reduce revenue leakage.
“It will help us improve compliance, reduce revenue leakage, and make it simpler for citizens to register and communicate with the tax authorities,” Lumumba said.
She added that the integration will give Government greater visibility into taxpayers’ worldwide income.
The statement, however, did not specify when the NIN will formally replace the TIN or how existing taxpayers will transition to the new system.
Cabinet approves emergency response for drought-hit communities
Cabinet also approved an emergency agricultural response for communities affected by prolonged drought in Karamoja and neighbouring districts.
According to Lumumba, the dry spell has caused “near-total crop failure”, weakened household food stocks and increased dependence on humanitarian assistance.
The National Agriculture Research Organisation, through the National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI), has developed early-maturing and drought-tolerant varieties of millet, sorghum, cow peas and sweet potatoes suited to the region.
The varieties mature within 70 to 80 days and are ready for distribution.
Cabinet directed that communities in the green belt of Karamoja receive the seeds, while communities in the more arid areas will later receive goats.
The intervention will be financed through emergency funds already appropriated under the Ministry for Karamoja Affairs in the Office of the Prime Minister.
Cabinet approves National Water Policy 2026
Cabinet also approved the National Water Policy 2026 to strengthen the legal and institutional framework governing Uganda’s water resources.
The policy is intended to improve access to clean water and sanitation, strengthen water allocation and management, prevent pollution and promote responsible use of the resource.
“Water is not a luxury. It is life, it is health, and it is dignity,” Lumumba said.
Building Review Board gets final member
Cabinet also appointed Kidega Denis, Acting Commissioner for Physical Planning in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, as the ninth and final member of the National Building Review Board.
The appointment completes the constitution of the board, whose first eight members were approved by Cabinet in July.
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