[PRESSWIRE] Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – 11 February, 2026 — Over the past five years, mobile money usage in Tanzania has seen explosive growth, fundamentally transforming how Tanzanians save, spend, and conduct transactions.

Once a niche service, mobile money has become an essential part of the country’s financial ecosystem, deeply embedded in both daily life and business operations.

According to a December 2025 report by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), active mobile money accounts in Tanzania have surged by 116% from 2021 to 2025, while transaction volumes have increased by 68%.

By the end of 2025, 72% of all SIM cards in Tanzania were linked to mobile money services, a clear indicator of the widespread adoption of digital wallets across the nation.

Tanzania’s mobile money ecosystem is now massive, with 105.8 million active machine-to-machine (M2M) SIM cards in use, 76.5 million of which are dedicated to mobile money transactions.

The number of active mobile money subscriptions nearly doubled, rising from 35.3 million in 2021 to 76.5 million in 2025, and annual transactions grew from 3.75 billion to 6.31 billion during the same period. These numbers reflect mobile money’s transformation from a simple tool for person-to-person transfers to a core component of broader financial services, including deposits, transfers, and bill payments.

Impact on consumers and small businesses

For Tanzanians, mobile money has been a game-changer, particularly in rural areas where access to traditional banking services remains limited.

The ability to send and receive money, pay bills, and purchase goods without leaving home has significantly reduced travel costs and made financial services more accessible.

This growth in mobile money has played a key role in enhancing financial inclusion for rural populations who previously had to travel long distances to access banking facilities.

For small businesses, mobile money has become an indispensable tool for managing cash flow, accepting payments, and handling day-to-day operations.

Many businesses in the informal sector, in particular, have adopted mobile money as a way to expand their customer base, improve efficiency, and reduce reliance on physical cash.

The ability to make and receive payments instantly, without needing banking infrastructure, has helped these businesses grow, even in areas with limited access to formal banking.

A competitive market

Tanzania’s mobile money market is fiercely competitive. Vodacom’s M-Pesa remains the leader with a 41.2% market share, followed by Mixx with 29.5%, and Airtel holding 18.5%. Smaller providers such as Halopesa, T-Pesa, and Azam Pesa are also active in the market, though they command smaller shares. Notably, Azam Pesa has the highest average transaction value per subscription, pointing to high engagement levels among its users, while T-Pesa recorded the lowest activity, reflecting varying customer behaviours across platforms.

The growth trajectory remains strong. Between September and December 2025, mobile money subscriptions rose by 6.7%, and transaction volumes increased by 11%, indicating that usage is driven not just by new registrations but by deeper adoption of mobile money services.

Tanzania’s surge in mobile money usage is part of a larger trend across sub-Saharan Africa, where mobile financial services have exploded in the past decade.

GSMA’s 2024 report noted that over 1.3 billion people in sub-Saharan Africa use mobile money, contributing to a 15-20% annual growth rate in mobile payments across the region.

In countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Ghana, mobile money has revolutionised financial inclusion, particularly in areas where traditional banking infrastructure is limited.

Tanzania, now one of the largest mobile money markets in Africa, continues to modernise its financial services sector.

The expanding reach of mobile money has also sparked innovations in mobile insurance, loans, and savings products, increasingly integrated into mobile platforms. These new services are expected to accelerate financial inclusion further, making essential financial services more accessible to a broader population.

Regulatory oversight and consumer protection

In Tanzania, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) and the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) oversee the mobile money sector.

The regulatory framework ensures that mobile money services remain secure, reliable, and accessible to all Tanzanians, with a strong emphasis on consumer protection.

The introduction of anti-money laundering regulations by the BoT in 2024 helped enhance the security of the sector, ensuring mobile money providers meet international standards and mitigate the risks of fraud and illicit activity.

As Tanzania’s mobile money market continues to grow, the country is well-positioned to become a leader in digital financial inclusion across Africa.

The rapid increase in mobile money subscriptions and transactions signals that mobile money services will play an even more central role in shaping the future of Tanzanian households and businesses.

In the coming years, experts predict further innovations, such as mobile-based loans, insurance products, and cross-border payment systems, which could extend Tanzania’s digital financial infrastructure into regional and global markets.

With a supportive regulatory environment, continued mobile network expansion, and increased digital literacy, Tanzania is set to maintain its trajectory of rapid digital financial growth and solidify its position as a key player in Africa’s fintech ecosystem.

Tanzania’s success story with mobile money offers a powerful glimpse into the future of finance in emerging markets, where digital wallets and mobile phones are becoming central to economic activity and financial inclusion.

The ongoing expansion of mobile money services is poised to drive continued economic growth and development, not only for Tanzania but for the entire region.

• Mobile money usage in Tanzania has expanded rapidly, with active accounts rising by 116% between 2021 and 2025, according to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA).
• By December 2025, 72% of SIM cards in the country were linked to mobile money services.
• Active mobile money subscriptions increased from 35.3 million in 2021 to 76.5 million in 2025, while annual transactions rose from 3.75 billion to 6.31 billion.

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