Lira, Uganda | Government has launched the Regional Business Rescue and Aftercare Programme (BRAP) in Lira City in a bid to strengthen the resilience of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), many of which are grappling with financial distress, weak governance and the lingering effects of economic shocks.
The programme, implemented by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) in partnership with the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and supported by the Kingdom of Netherlands, seeks to equip entrepreneurs with practical skills to prevent business collapse, improve governance and accelerate enterprise growth.
While launching the programme, Lira Resident City Commissioner Lawrence Egole said the initiative comes at a time when many businesses are struggling due to poor financial management, limited access to business advisory services and economic disruptions that have forced some enterprises to close.
Egole described Lira as one of Northern Uganda’s fastest-growing commercial centres, saying the programme would strengthen business recovery, sustainability, and resilience while complementing the government’s efforts to build a vibrant, competitive and inclusive local economy.
He noted that SMEs remain the backbone of Uganda’s economy through job creation, innovation and household income generation, urging entrepreneurs to adopt sound financial management practices, strengthen corporate governance, embrace innovation, manage risks effectively and comply with legal requirements to ensure long-term business success.
The Resident City Commissioner also encouraged business owners to take advantage of government initiatives such as the GROW Project to access financing, expand markets, adopt digital technologies, and explore investment and export opportunities.
Egole reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for private sector-led growth through collaboration with development partners before officially launching the programme.
Speaking during the opening of the three-day regional training, URSB Commissioner for Insolvency and Receivership Caroline Egesa said the Business Rescue and Aftercare Programme was introduced in 2023 to help enterprises overcome increasing financial and operational challenges through recovery, resilience and long-term sustainability rather than closure.
She observed that many businesses fail not because opportunities are lacking but because of poor planning, weak governance structures, financial indiscipline, and delayed intervention when challenges arise.
Egesa said the programme aligns with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV and has already trained more than 450 entrepreneurs through four cohorts in Kampala, while over 800 entrepreneurs have benefited from regional rollouts in Mbale, Tororo, Jinja, Mbarara, Masaka, Arua, Gulu and now Lira.
She explained that participants receive practical training in business management, financial literacy, governance, business recovery, and enterprise sustainability to enable them to build stronger and more competitive businesses.
She urged entrepreneurs to strengthen governance systems, comply with legal obligations, adapt to changing economic conditions and apply the knowledge acquired during the training to create resilient enterprises capable of generating employment, attracting investment and driving Uganda’s economic transformation.
The Business Rescue and Aftercare Programme is founded on the principle of preventive business restructuring, helping enterprises identify and address financial and operational challenges before they escalate into insolvency or business failure.
Held under the theme, “Business Recovery and Acceleration Programme,” the three-day workshop is equipping entrepreneurs with practical skills in business mindset, financial literacy, record keeping, governance, operational efficiency, teamwork and business recovery strategies to improve decision-making, enhance competitiveness, create jobs and support Uganda’s private sector-led economic growth.
