NLCBTZTX11-character variant (head office):
NLCBTZTXXXXWhether funds come from abroad or another local account, here's how to receive — and what it costs.
Sender uses NLCBTZTX + your account number.
Sender uses Wise, LemFi, or Sendwave to deposit into your account.
Receive into M-Pesa, then move to NBC if needed.
Tanzanian banks settle through TIPS, the central bank's instant payment system, which also interconnects mobile money operators.
TIPS lets money move between bank accounts and M-Pesa, Tigo Pesa (Mixx), Airtel Money, and Halopesa wallets in real time.
Rail operator: www.bot.go.tz
When you actually need a SWIFT code: only for receiving money from another country. TIPS handles every domestic tanzania bank-to-bank, bank-to-wallet, and wallet-to-bank transfer at near-instant speed. If the sender is in the same country, SWIFT isn't involved at all — they just need your bank codes or phone number.
For inbound international flows, TIPS also matters: most modern remittance operators (Wise, Sendwave, LemFi, WorldRemit, TapTap Send) terminate their payouts via this rail rather than via correspondent SWIFT relationships. That's how they deliver in minutes instead of days — and why their all-in cost can be a fraction of a classic SWIFT wire.
Cash pickup is the fourth node in the receiving graph: Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, RemitOne. These remain expensive but are the only option in some last-mile situations (no bank account, no wallet, urgent cash need). Mobile money cash-out via an agent network is increasingly the cheaper alternative — see our country mobile-money fee page for current cash-out rates.
One practical tip: if you're expecting a payment from abroad, ask the sender to choose the destination based on speed and amount. Small frequent payments below US$1,000 are almost always cheaper via a remittance app to your wallet. Mid-size payments (US$1,000–10,000) work well to your bank account via the same apps. Genuinely large payments (above US$50,000) are usually only practical via a SWIFT wire, even though they're the most expensive per dollar at that band.
| Bank code | Country | Location |
|---|---|---|
| NLCB | TZ | TX |
| NBC | TZ (Tanzania) | Dar es Salaam |
An 11-character variant like NLCBTZTXXXX also indicates the head office — the trailing 'XXX' is the default. Codes ending in different sequences (e.g. 'NLCBTZTX001') refer to specific branches.
Check any SWIFT/BIC code is correctly formatted before a transfer.
vs TZS (Tanzanian Shilling)
National Bank of Commerce (NBC) Tanzania traces its history to the 1965 establishment of a state-owned National Bank of Commerce. The modern NBC was created in 1997 from a restructuring of that earlier institution, with Absa Group (then Barclays) acquiring a majority stake in 2000. NBC is now part of Absa Group's pan-African operations and operates around 50 branches in Tanzania, with a particularly strong presence in commercial banking and trade finance. SWIFT code NLCBTZTX uses bank code NLCB (from "National Bank of Commerce") and location code TX, distinct from the standard TZ Dar es Salaam suffix used by other Tanzanian banks. Long form: NLCBTZTXXXX. Inbound diaspora flows benefit from Absa Group correspondent banking.
NBC House, Sokoine Drive/Azikiwe Street, Dar es Salaam
Map centred on Dar es Salaam. Click "View on OpenStreetMap" below for precise location.
National Bank of Commerce — Tanzania's commercial bank (founded 1997) — has the SWIFT/BIC code NLCBTZTX. The 8-character base BIC NLCBTZTX targets the Dar es Salaam head office; the 11-character variant NLCBTZTXXXX names that same head office explicitly. You only need it for receiving an INTERNATIONAL wire (from another country). For transfers from another Tanzania account, you just use your account number plus the domestic rail (TIPS).
Yes. Operators like WorldRemit, Sendwave, Afriex, and Flutterwave Send let a sender abroad deposit directly into M-Pesa without going through your NBC account. It's usually faster and cheaper than a SWIFT wire for smaller amounts. You can then move funds to NBC via TIPS if needed.
Via Tanzania Instant Payment System (TIPS), which interconnects banks and wallets in real time. From the NBC app: add M-Pesa as a beneficiary with your phone number, and the transfer arrives instantly. See our Tanzania mobile money fees page for the exact cost.
For amounts under ~US$5,000, a remittance app (Wise, LemFi, Sendwave) depositing direct to your NBC account is almost always cheaper than a classic SWIFT wire — lower fees and a rate closer to mid-market. For larger amounts, compare SWIFT vs app on our Tanzania inbound transfer comparison.
Yes. NBC is connected to Tanzania Instant Payment System (TIPS), which enables near-instant transfers to other Tanzania banks and to mobile money wallets (M-Pesa, Mixx by Yas, Airtel Money). This is the infrastructure remittance apps use behind the scenes to deliver in real time.
Source: NBC's official website + Wise SWIFT directory. Last verified: 2026-06-04. SWIFT codes change rarely but always confirm with your bank before initiating a transfer. Educational only — not financial advice.