By Dismas Nuwaine
The URA Commissioner General, John R. Musinguzi, and the UNOC Chief Executive Officer, Proscovia Nabbanja have agreed to deepen their collaboration to improve revenue collection from Uganda’s growing oil, gas, and fuel sector.
While addressing a delegation from UNOC during a high-level engagement held on Monday at the Lake Victoria Serena Hotel, Kigo, Musinguzi emphasized the importance of strengthening institutional synergies to ensure that revenues from the energy sector are not only collected efficiently, but also in a manner that is predictable and sustainable.
“This is especially important in areas such as the planning and scheduling of vessels that transport petroleum products into the country,” Musinguzi stated, “Clear and timely coordination in this area would enable URA to accurately forecast expected revenues and address existing gaps in tax collection.”
He also thanked Nabbanja for the great work she is doing and acknowledged the positive impact of the collaboration between URA and UNOC in enhancing revenue mobilisation from the oil and gas sector.
Nabbanja welcomed the idea of strengthening the partnership, praising the Commissioner General for his proactive and hands-on leadership in mobilising revenue for national development.
She revealed that since UNOC assumed greater oversight of the sector, the number of oil-related companies in Uganda has increased from 60 to 109, a development she said has significantly expanded the country’s tax base and could have potential positive impact in revenue mobilisation.
“This growth gives us a wider base to collect corporate taxes, VAT, and other revenues. UNOC is fully committed to supporting URA in meeting its targets,” she said.
Nabbanja also committed to working closely with Kenyan partners, particularly the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), to ensure a reliable flow of petroleum products into Uganda. She noted that addressing stock management and supply bottlenecks would help maintain a steady fuel supply and avoid revenue losses.
Musinguzi said that the institutional synergies with UNOC align with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Third National Development Plan (NDP III), which aim to use the country’s natural resources to drive long-term socio-economic transformation.
