Tanzania Phases Out Scratch Airtime Cards by 1 January
TELECOMS · TANZANIA
Key Facts
- —The country Tanzania, home to Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti and Zanzibar, is a major East African destination for American safari and beach travellers.
- —Why it matters Paper airtime vouchers sold in corner shops are still how many Tanzanians top up their phones. Their end pushes millions towards mobile money.
- —Why now The government wants less cash in daily payments. The plan was first announced in the 2026/27 budget speech on 11 June.
- —What happened On Thursday 8 October, TCRA announced that scratch cards stop working on 1 January 2027 in pilot areas, after a trial that began on 1 October.
- —What it means for US readers Visitors should plan to top up through a mobile wallet, an operator app, a bank ATM or an agent, not a paper card.
- —Still open The date for the rest of the country, the fate of unused cards and whether tourists get any special help.
Tanzania is retiring the paper airtime voucher. The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) says Tanzania scratch cards for phone credit will stop working on Friday 1 January 2027. The first areas affected include Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Arusha, Mwanza and Mbeya.
For foreigners, the change is practical rather than dramatic. Anyone landing at Dar es Salaam or Kilimanjaro next year should expect to buy talk time and data digitally. That means a mobile wallet, an app or an agent.
TCRA is the state regulator for telecoms, broadcasting and postal services. It issued a public notice on Thursday 8 October, published in Swahili by the Dar es Salaam outlet Global Publishers. The stated aim is to encourage digital financial and communication services and cut the use of cash. It also supports the government’s push for a cashless economy.
The Tanzania Times, a local English-language site, also reported the TCRA statement. It added that the move should cut the cost of importing, printing and distributing the cards. Rio Times could not open the notice on the TCRA website, which did not load from outside the country on Friday morning.
Where the Pilot Runs and What Changes
The trial phase runs from 1 October 2026, TCRA says. It covers the whole Dar es Salaam region, the commercial capital and largest city.
In the Dodoma region it covers Dodoma, Chamwino, Kondoa Town and Kongwa. In Arusha, the gateway to the northern safari circuit, it covers Arusha, Arusha City and Karatu.
In Mwanza, on Lake Victoria, the trial covers Nyamagana, Ilemela and Misungwi. In the southern highlands it covers Mbeya City, Mbeya District and Mbarali.
During the trial, TCRA says, there will be an awareness drive. It will teach customers to top up digitally instead of relying on scratch cards.
The regulator lists three main channels. Customers can buy airtime directly from a mobile money account by USSD code or phone app. They can also use bank ATMs and bank agents. Other digital systems offered by mobile operators and their authorised partners also qualify.
On cards already bought, the notice is firm. In the pilot areas, cards still unused after 1 January 2027 will no longer work, according to the Global Publishers text (translated). Holders will need to contact their operator at authorised service centres for help using them. Until then, customers who hold cards are advised to move to digital top-ups as the plan proceeds.
Why Tanzania Is Moving Now
The decision itself is not new. Finance Minister Khamis Mussa Omar told parliament in his 2026/27 budget speech on Thursday 11 June that TCRA would remove scratch vouchers, starting in urban areas. He said the lessons would guide the rest of the country. The speech lists the step among measures to cut cash use, alongside digital payments for transport, hotels, tourism services and school fees.
Mobile phones are the main route to financial services for many Tanzanians. Mobile money wallets run by the phone companies are used to pay bills, send money home and buy goods.
Tanzania scratch cards are the last piece of that system that still runs on paper and cash. A shopkeeper buys stock in bulk, sells cards over the counter, and the customer scratches off a code and types it in.
The Tanzania Times notes that most operators have offered digital top-ups for years. For many urban users the shift is small. It names Airtel, Halotel, Vodacom and Yas, plus the state-owned TTCL, as the country’s mobile providers.
The risk sits with people who are less comfortable with phone menus or who keep little money in a wallet. The regulator’s stabiliser is the long run-in and the awareness drive during the pilot. Users are told to learn the alternatives now so they are not cut off later.
What It Means for US Readers
For American travellers, the advice is simple. Do not count on buying a paper voucher at a kiosk after the new year in Dar es Salaam, Arusha or Mwanza.
Visitors with a local SIM can usually top up through the operator’s app or a mobile money wallet on that SIM. A shop agent can also load credit directly. Travellers heading to Zanzibar or the northern parks should sort out credit on arrival, at a provider’s own outlet.
The Tanzania Times warns that foreign visitors may find the change inconvenient, since language can be a barrier at service counters. An eSIM bought before departure is one way round that.
For investors, the move adds traffic to mobile money platforms. Vodacom Tanzania is listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange. It belongs to South Africa’s Vodacom Group, controlled by Britain’s Vodafone. Airtel Tanzania is part of London-listed Airtel Africa. Any gain from the shift is likely to be gradual rather than a step change.
For trip planning, see What to Do in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in October 2026: Festival and Expos. On living costs, see Tanzania Fuel Prices Rise, Petrol Hits US$1.53 a Litre.
What Is Not Known
The notice as published sets 1 January 2027 for the pilot areas. It is not clear when the rest of the country follows. The Tanzania Times says other areas will be phased in gradually but gives no dates.
It is also not clear whether unused cards in the pilot areas can be refunded or converted to credit. They may only be redeemable with help at service centres. Nor has the regulator said how many cards are still sold, or what share of top-ups they represent.
The semi-autonomous islands of Zanzibar are not named among the pilot areas. The notice as reported does not say how they will be treated. Rio Times will follow the TCRA notice once its website can be reached.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do airtime scratch cards stop working in Tanzania?
In the pilot areas, unused cards will no longer work after Friday 1 January 2027, according to a TCRA public notice issued on 8 October 2026. No national end date has been published.
Which areas are in the pilot?
The whole Dar es Salaam region, plus districts in the Dodoma, Arusha, Mwanza and Mbeya regions, including Arusha City, Nyamagana, Ilemela and Mbeya City. The trial phase runs from 1 October 2026.
How do I top up a Tanzanian SIM card without a scratch card?
Through a mobile money account by USSD code or app, at a bank ATM or bank agent, or through other digital channels run by the mobile operators and their authorised partners.
What happens to Tanzania scratch cards I already hold?
In the pilot areas, cards still unused after 1 January 2027 will not work. Holders should contact their operator at an authorised service centre for help, according to the notice as published.
Does this affect tourists visiting Tanzania?
Yes, mainly in convenience. Visitors should plan to top up digitally or use an eSIM, and buy credit at an operator’s own outlet if they need help.
Sources: Ministry of Finance, 2026/27 budget speech (Swahili), 11 June 2026; Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), public notice of 8 October 2026, as published by Global Publishers (Swahili); The Tanzania Times, 8 October 2026; Daily News, 11 June 2026.
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