The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) is set to begin the nationwide registration of school-aged children later this month, as part of efforts to close the identity gap among Ugandans. This drive targets millions—particularly minors—who have never been registered.
Although 5.3 million national ID renewals have been completed since May 2025, first-time registrations remain low. Current estimates suggest that up to 17 million Ugandans still lack a legal identity.
With nearly half of Uganda’s 45.9 million population under the age of 18, NIRA is prioritising schools as strategic registration centres.
“Schools offer an organised and accessible platform to reach children who missed out during previous campaigns,” said Claire Ollama, a NIRA registrar.
How the Registration Will Be Done
NIRA will conduct the exercise directly through schools to capture as many children as possible. For the process to be valid, parents or legal guardians must give consent.
Consent forms will be distributed through schools or delivered to households. Parents must fill and sign them to authorise the registration of their children. Teachers are strictly prohibited from filling out the consent forms on behalf of parents to prevent errors or false information.
Parents of children in boarding schools can pre-register them through the official NIRA online portal to ensure they are included.
What Is Required from Parents
To complete the process, parents are required to provide a signed consent form for each child, the parent’s or guardian’s National Identification Number (NIN), and basic details about the child such as name, date of birth, and school attended.
In the case of online pre-registration, access to the NIRA portal and internet connectivity is needed.
Why This Is Important for Your Child
One of the key benefits of registering children under their parent’s NIN is legal protection of inheritance rights, especially concerning land and property.
“Many parents acquire land on behalf of their children, but without proper documentation, these properties are at risk. Associating a child’s identification with their parent’s NIN secures their legal claims,” explained Ollama.
