By Business Insider Reporter
The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) has unveiled new guidelines on how financial institutions should handle customer complaints, in a move aimed at strengthening consumer protection and promoting fairness in the country’s financial sector.
The recently published guidelines for handling financial consumer complaints, 2025, giveTanzanians better protection when using financial services.
They also introduce a clear and standardised process that all banks, microfinance institutions, and other licensed financial service providers must follow when addressing customer grievances.
BoT says that the ultimate goal is to ensure that complaints are resolved efficiently, fairly, and transparently, while building greater public trust and confidence in the financial system.
Under the new rules, every financial institution is required to set up a dedicated complaints unit or officer, provide at least three accessible channels for lodging complaints – such as in-person, online, or by phone – and ensure that all complaints are handled free of charge. Institutions must also acknowledge receipt of every complaint, provide regular updates to customers, and resolve issues within the time limits set by the central bank
To make the process more inclusive, financial service providers are instructed to assist customers with special needs or language barriers, and to display complaint-handling information clearly in both English and Kiswahili at all business premises and digital platforms.
If a customer is not satisfied with the institution’s decision, or if the case remains unresolved within the given timeframe, the complaint may be escalated to the Financial Consumer Protection Unit at the Bank of Tanzania through its SEMA NA BOT platforms – including the website, mobile app, toll-free number, or chatbot.
The new framework also requires institutions to keep proper records of all complaints for at least five years and submit monthly reports to the central bank.
Noncompliance may lead to penalties or other administrative sanctions as provided under the Financial Consumer Protection Regulations, 2019.
Analysts say the 2025 guidelines reflect Tanzania’s growing emphasis on financial inclusion and consumer rights, especially as digital finance continues to expand.
For consumers, this means more reliable avenues to voice concerns, faster dispute resolution, and stronger protection against unfair practices. For financial institutions, it signals the need for improved customer service, transparency, and ethical standards in daily operations.
According to the BoT, these measures aim to promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and fairness in the financial sector, while empowering consumers to speak up and seek redress when treated unfairly. The 2025 Guidelines replace the previous Banking Consumers’ Complaints Guidelines of 2015, marking a major step forward in aligning Tanzania’s financial consumer protection standards with global best practices.
