Tanzania to Pilot Scratch-Card Airtime Phase-Out in January 2027

What changed

Tanzania will begin a pilot phase-out of scratch-card airtime recharges on 1 January 2027. The pilot will cover Dar es Salaam and selected districts in four other regions, at a time when digital channels already account for 78% of airtime recharges.

Why it matters

The change shifts airtime purchases further toward digital channels for customers and the businesses that sell airtime. Mobile-network operators will be testing the transition in a limited set of locations before any nationwide end to scratch cards.

The 78% figure applies to airtime recharges, not mobile payments generally. The participating districts, pilot duration and rules for the remaining scratch-card market have not yet been specified, so the first practical test will be how smoothly the selected areas move from cards to digital top-ups.