Tanzania Digital Airtime Top-Ups Reach 78% as Scratch-Card Phase-Out Starts January 2027

Tanzania digital airtime top-ups now account for 78% of all recharges, ahead of a pilot to discontinue physical scratch cards from 1st January 2027.

The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) reported on 3 November 2026 that figures presented by five mobile operators at a recent stakeholders’ meeting showed that scratch cards accounted for the remaining 22% of recharges.

The pilot will cover all districts in Dar es Salaam and selected areas in four other regions:

• Dodoma: Dodoma City, Chamwino, Kondoa Urban and Kongwa.
• Arusha: Arusha City, Arusha District, Meru and Karatu.
• Mwanza: Nyamagana, Ilemela and Misungwi.
• Mbeya: Mbeya City, Mbeya District and Mbarali.

According to TCRA’s public notice dated 8th October 2026, the nationwide discontinuation date will be announced later.

Customers will be able to purchase airtime through mobile-money accounts using USSD menus or mobile applications, bank automated teller machines (ATMs), banking agents, and other authorised digital recharge platforms.

Customers in the pilot areas holding unused scratch cards after 1st January 2027 will need to contact their operators’ customer-service centres or authorised outlets for assistance in redeeming them.

TCRA advised customers to use existing cards before the transition and familiarise themselves with digital alternatives, supported by public-awareness activities that began on 1st October 2026.

The transition forms part of government efforts to expand cashless payments and digital financial services while reducing waste associated with physical recharge cards.

The Authority said digital recharges allow customers to choose amounts according to their needs, while providing transaction records and reducing operators’ physical-card printing and distribution costs.

It reported 123,204,333 mobile subscriptions and 93,901,761 mobile-money accounts in September 2026, equivalent to approximately 76% of mobile subscriptions.