KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda is considering tighter regulation of the interior design industry amid concerns over the growing number of businesses and individuals operating without formal professional training.
The Architects Registration Board (ARB) has told Parliament that the sector requires clearer standards and better coordination to protect consumers and improve the quality of work within Uganda’s built environment.
The board says some businesses operating under the interior design label are engaged in a wide range of activities, making it difficult to establish clear professional standards across the industry.
Mariam Lawino, chairperson of the Architects Registration Board, said some businesses using names associated with interior design primarily sell furniture, curtains and other household items rather than providing professional interior design services.
“The business is not coordinated because you may find a company, for instance, called Nina Interiors, but they are selling chairs, curtains, etc., and it becomes a problem,” Lawino told MPs.
She said regulation would help distinguish businesses providing professional interior design services from those engaged primarily in retail.
“That is why we need to regulate them, so that if they want to remain as interior designers, they must have someone who is trained and certified in interior design,” she said.
Lawino was speaking before Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure, where the Architects Registration Board presented concerns affecting construction, urban development and professional standards.
The board said Uganda already has institutions capable of training and certifying interior designers.
Lawino said the ARB was considering a direct role in developing the relevant curriculum as part of proposed amendments to the Architects Registration Act.
“We have institutions that can certify, and we are now looking at contributing to the relevant curriculum when we amend the Architects Registration Act so that we have a direct involvement to cater for that training and ensure that the right training is being done,” she said.
The proposal would potentially create clearer pathways for people seeking to enter the profession and establish minimum qualifications for those offering interior design services.
Any regulatory changes, however, would require the relevant legislative and policy processes before becoming enforceable.
Uganda’s interior design market has expanded rapidly in recent years, with businesses increasingly using platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook to showcase projects and attract customers.
Social media has lowered the barriers to marketing, allowing small businesses and individual designers to reach clients without maintaining large physical showrooms.
The growth has also created opportunities for young entrepreneurs and skilled tradespeople working in areas such as furniture, lighting, décor, space planning and home renovation.
But the rapid expansion has raised questions over qualifications, accountability and consumer protection.
For clients, distinguishing between a trained professional offering design services and a retailer selling décor products can be difficult.
The proposed regulatory approach could therefore introduce clearer definitions of who qualifies to provide professional interior design services and what businesses using the title should be required to meet.
The discussion over interior design formed part of a broader presentation by the Architects Registration Board on Uganda’s construction and urban development challenges.
The board told MPs that Uganda’s rapid urbanisation requires more detailed physical development plans to guide the growth of towns and cities.
It also called for stronger laws and policies to ensure that construction-related work is handled by appropriately qualified professionals.
The concerns come as Uganda’s urban areas continue to expand, increasing demand for housing, commercial buildings and related design and construction services.
The ARB argues that stronger professional standards would help improve the quality of Uganda’s built environment while reducing risks to consumers.
If the proposed changes proceed, businesses that want to operate as professional interior design firms could face new qualification or certification requirements.
For consumers, clearer standards could make it easier to identify qualified professionals and establish accountability when disputes arise over the quality or safety of work.
For people already operating in the industry, however, tighter regulation could introduce additional compliance costs and requirements.
The government and Parliament will therefore have to balance consumer protection and professional standards with the need to avoid unnecessarily restricting legitimate entrepreneurship.
For now, the Architects Registration Board’s proposals remain part of the wider legislative discussion surrounding Uganda’s construction and built environment sectors.
The proposed reforms could ultimately determine whether interior design becomes a more formally recognised and regulated profession as the industry continues to expand.
