By Josephine Kayaga
President Yoweri Museveni has signed the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Act, 2026 into law, strengthening protection for creatives in Uganda.
The law updates the 2006 framework to address modern challenges like online piracy and digital distribution, and introduces tougher penalties, including fines of up to Shs50 million or imprisonment of up to 10 years. It also allows faster enforcement through takedown orders to remove illegal content from online platforms.
The law requires creators to register their works with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to access certain legal protections and improves systems for royalty collection and distribution.
Additionally, copyright ownership agreements are now limited to 20 years, after which rights return to the original creator, helping to prevent exploitation and improve earnings in the creative industry.