The government of Uganda through NITA-Uganda has on Thursday, March 13 officially launched the construction and renovation of the Posta Uganda building in Gulu in a bid to transform the facility into a one-stop government service hub.
The new service hub, once completed, will offer a practical solution to the long-standing challenge of accessing government agencies from Northern Uganda.
The project by the National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U), will see the historic Posta Uganda premises upgraded to host the region’s first Service Uganda Centre, where citizens will be able to access multiple government services under one roof.
For years, residents from districts across the Acholi sub-region including Kitgum, Lamwo, Pader and Nwoya have had to travel hundreds of kilometres to Kampala to access services such as passport processing, tax registration and driving permits.
Now, the renovation and construction of more buildings at Posta Uganda in Gulu is intended to address this gap by bringing these services closer to communities in Northern Uganda.
Other public services will include passport and immigration processing through the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control, tax identification number registration offered by the Uganda Revenue Authority, business and company registration handled by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau, as well as driving permit services overseen by the Ministry of Works and Transport.
Officials say housing the Service Uganda Centre within the renovated Posta Uganda premises will allow the government to utilise existing infrastructure while rapidly expanding access points for essential services.
The centre will also integrate the government’s digital platform UGHub, enabling citizens to access digitised services with assistance from trained staff, an approach designed to bridge both physical distance and digital literacy barriers.
According to NITA-U Executive Director Hatwib Mugasa, the renovation represents more than just a building upgrade.
“We know that technology is only as powerful as its accessibility,” Mugasa said during the groundbreaking ceremony.
“By establishing these centres within Posta Uganda facilities, we are ensuring that digital government services are physically accessible to citizens who need them most,” he added.
He noted that although many government services are now available online, large segments of the population still face challenges such as limited internet connectivity and inadequate digital skills.
Therefore, by combining renovated and yet to be constructed physical infrastructure with digital government platforms, the Service Uganda Centre is expected to provide a practical hybrid solution for citizens seeking government services.
Gulu is the first city where a Posta Uganda building will be renovated to host the Service Uganda Centre, with similar initiatives planned in Mbarara in western Uganda and Tororo in eastern Uganda.
Government officials say the model will particularly benefit rural and peri-urban communities that have historically struggled to access centralised services in Kampala.
The project forms part of the broader UDAP-GovNet programme aimed at strengthening Uganda’s digital infrastructure while ensuring services remain accessible through physical locations across the country.
Once operational, the renovated Posta Uganda Gulu facility is expected to serve thousands of residents from the Acholi sub-region, reducing travel costs, shortening waiting times and bringing essential government services closer to the people.
Gulu District Deputy RDC Cosmas Okidi, welcomed the new development and urged the community of Acholi to utilise the free and closer e-government services that will be at Gulu Service Uganda Centre.
“Our people really suffer with long journeys to Kampala and sometimes even fail to get these services. This is a good move and I urge them to use the centre well,” Okidi told tndNews, Uganda.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Service, Ministry of Works and Transport, and the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance.