DIGITAL PAYMENTS NOW A BUSINESS LICENSING REQUIREMENT

30 June 2026

• Digital payment facilities required for business licensing
• Requirement applies to new licences and renewals
• Lipa Namba or TANQR among acceptable payment facilities
• Bank account proof required for specified businesses
• New requirements effective from 1 July 2026

The Minister for Industries and Trade has issued the Business Licensing (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (the “Amendments”) vide Government Notice No. 158N published on 30 June 2026. The Amendments, made under section 29(1) of the Business Licensing Act, Cap. 101, amend the Business Licensing Regulations, 2023 by introducing additional requirements for obtaining and renewing business licences in Tanzania.

Under the Amendments, applications for new business licences and renewal of existing licences must now be accompanied by evidence of the use of digital payment systems or facilities, including Lipa Namba or Tanzania Quick Response Code (TANQR). Accordingly, businesses seeking to obtain or renew their licences are required to demonstrate that they have facilities for receiving payments digitally.

Furthermore, businesses applying for licences relating to minerals, livestock, agricultural produce, timber or fisheries are required to provide proof of holding a bank account. This requirement is in addition to providing evidence of digital payment facilities. Licensing authorities may also require applicants to submit other information prescribed under applicable laws.

It is worth noting that the Government has also introduced the Electronic Transactions (Mandatory Electronic Payments for Specified Transactions) Order, 2026, which came into operation on 1 July 2026. The Order requires payments for specified transactions, including those relating to hotels, restaurants, transport, tourism, property and other listed activities, to be made or received electronically.

While the Order focuses on how payments must be made or received for specified transactions, the Amendments go a step further by linking the availability of digital payment facilities to the business licensing process itself. Unlike the Order, which applies to specified transactions, the new licensing requirement applies to applications for new business licences and renewals generally.

Therefore, businesses intending to apply for or renew their business licences should ensure that the necessary digital payment facilities are in place and that supporting evidence is available before submitting their applications. Businesses operating in the specified sectors should additionally ensure that they hold a bank account and can provide the required proof. Compliance with these requirements is now an important consideration in the business licensing process.