By our Respondent reporter
Tanzania’s data protection regulator has announced the start of full enforcement of mandatory registration requirements under the country’s Personal Data Protection law, warning that institutions that collect or process personal information without authorization will face legal and administrative action.
The Director General of the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC), Dr. Emmanuel Mkilia, said the enforcement phase officially began on April 9, 2026, following the expiry of the voluntary registration period on April 8.
Under the Personal Data Protection Act, Chapter 44, all institutions involved in collecting or processing personal data must register with the Commission as Data Controllers and/or Data Processors.
Failure to comply constitutes a legal offence and may attract penalties, including fines and other administrative sanctions.
Dr. Mkilia said the Commission had recorded a strong response during the voluntary compliance phase, with more than 14,000 institutions completing their registration by the April deadline.
“This response demonstrates the commitment of stakeholders to protecting citizens’ privacy and safeguarding personal information,” he said.
However, he directed institutions that have either failed to complete their registration or have not yet started the process to comply within seven working days from June 12, 2026.
“Institutions that began the registration process but did not complete it must finalize it within seven working days. Those that have not initiated the process must begin and complete their registration within the same period,” Mkilia said.
He added that the Commission has already started compliance inspections and urged organizations to establish approved data protection policies and robust systems to secure personal information.
The announcement marks a significant step in Tanzania’s efforts to strengthen privacy rights and build trust in the country’s expanding digital economy.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mkilia invited stakeholders to participate in Tanzania’s first National Privacy and Personal Data Protection Conference, scheduled for June 29 to July 2, 2026, at the Mlimani City Conference Centre in Dar es Salaam.
Dr. Mkilia urged Data Protection Officers and their teams to participate in the forum to exchange experiences, improve technical capacity and contribute to building a secure, trusted and inclusive digital ecosystem in line with Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050.
