The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) has officially opened applications for the Third Cohort of its Fintech Regulatory Sandbox, inviting financial institutions, mobile money operators, electronic money issuers, and fintech companies to submit innovative solutions for testing under a controlled regulatory environment.
The initiative is implemented under the Bank of Tanzania (Fintech Regulatory Sandbox) Regulations, 2024, and reflects the central bank’s continued commitment to promoting financial innovation while ensuring stability, consumer protection, and sound oversight in the financial sector.
According to BoT, the sandbox is intended for new financial products and services that are not currently covered under existing regulatory frameworks.
This means only innovations that fall outside current rules will be eligible for consideration.
The focus is to support emerging technologies that can improve financial inclusion, strengthen payment systems, enhance credit access, and expand digital financial services across the country.
The application window is now open, with the deadline set for Friday, July 31, 2026. Applicants are required to submit their proposals through the official portal at BoT Fintech Regulatory Sandbox Portal.
Detailed eligibility criteria and participation guidelines are also available on the Bank of Tanzania’s official website at Bank of Tanzania.
BoT has stated that all applications will undergo a thorough evaluation process to determine suitability for sandbox testing.
The central bank also reserves the right to publish non-confidential information about selected participants to promote transparency, knowledge sharing, and collaboration within the financial sector both locally and internationally.
The regulator emphasized that the sandbox provides a safe environment where innovators can test new financial solutions in real market conditions under regulatory supervision.
This approach helps balance innovation with financial system stability, ensuring that new technologies are properly assessed before full market rollout.
Previous cohorts of the sandbox have supported the testing of various digital financial innovations, helping regulators better understand emerging technologies and refine policy approaches.
The third cohort is expected to attract more advanced solutions, particularly in areas such as digital payments, mobile financial services, blockchain applications, and digital credit systems.
For inquiries, BoT has provided designated contact persons to assist applicants. These include Dr. Sigsbert Rwiza (+255 713 998 593, Sigsbert.Rwiza@bot.go.tz), Mr. Given Mhema (+255 711 788 830, Given.Mhema@bot.go.tz), and Mr. January Bura (+255 685 474 952, January.Bura@bot.go.tz), who are available to provide technical guidance and clarification on application requirements.
The notice was signed by Sauda K. Msemo, Deputy Governor for Financial Stability and Deepening, on June 24, 2026, underscoring BoT’s commitment to building a modern, inclusive, and innovation-friendly financial ecosystem.
The fintech regulatory sandbox continues to play a key role in bridging innovation and regulation in Tanzania’s financial sector, providing a structured pathway for testing new ideas safely before they are introduced to the wider market.
