Couples looking to formalise their relationships can now have a civil wedding through the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) for Shs250,000.
NIRA Registrar Clair Ollama made the announcement on Wednesday, 30 September, during the ongoing My Identity Expo and Symposium 2026 at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala.
Ollama encouraged couples attending the expo to take advantage of the service, saying they do not need to spend millions of shillings to have a legally recognised marriage.
“If you are out there with about Shs1 million or 500,000, we are conducting civil weddings here at only Shs250,000. We’ll help you officially marry your wife and give you a marriage certificate that will affect your marriage,” Ollama said.
She urged couples to focus on obtaining legal recognition of their marriages rather than spending heavily on wedding celebrations.
“Forget about all these expensive weddings. Come to NIRA and get wedded at only Shs250,000 and get yourselves certificates that are valid and recognised by the government,” she added.
The offer highlights the difference between the cost of legally formalising a marriage and the much higher expenses that often come with wedding celebrations, including receptions, clothes, transport and decorations.
NIRA’s published fee structure shows that a civil marriage ordinarily costs Shs260,000 where at least one of the parties is a Ugandan or a refugee.
The fee includes Shs200,000 for celebrating the marriage, Shs10,000 for filing the marriage notice, Shs25,000 for issuing the marriage certificate and Shs25,000 for registering the marriage.
The current Shs250,000 offer at the expo therefore gives couples an opportunity to formalise their marriages at a lower cost while obtaining a government-recognised marriage certificate.
