President Yoweri Museveni has assented to the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Act, 2026, a long-awaited reform aimed at strengthening protections for creatives and ensuring fair compensation in Uganda’s evolving digital economy.
The law, passed by Parliament on March 17, 2026, updates the country’s 2006 copyright framework to address modern challenges such as online piracy and digital distribution.
Under the new legislation, penalties for copyright infringement have been significantly increased. Offenders now face fines of up to Shs50 million, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both—marking one of the toughest stances yet against piracy.
A key change introduces faster enforcement mechanisms. The Registrar of Copyright, as well as rights holders, can now issue takedown orders compelling online platforms to remove infringing content, tightening control over unauthorized distribution.
The law also clarifies that while copyright protection remains automatic, creators will be required to register their works with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to access certain legal remedies, including the ability to enforce takedown notices.
In a move expected to improve earnings for artists, the legislation empowers the Ministry of Justice to work with URSB to establish systems for the collection and distribution of royalties through the national payment framework.
Additionally, to prevent long-term exploitation of creators, copyright assignments will now be limited to 20 years. After that period, ownership rights will revert to the original author.
The new law is widely seen as a significant step toward formalising Uganda’s creative industry, offering stronger legal backing to artists, musicians, filmmakers, and other content creators seeking to monetise their work both locally and globally.
Don’t want to miss out on any story? For updates on all Sqoop stories, follow this link on Telegram: https://t.me/Sqoop and Whatsapp: https://whatsapp.com/channel