Tanzania mobile money agents (Wakala): fees & overcharging 2026
A Tanzanian mobile money agent (wakala) is allowed to charge the published operator withdrawal fee — and nothing else. Any surcharge on top is overcharging; here's how to spot it and where to report.
✓ Verified June 2026.Operator tariffs cross-checked against vodacom.co.tz, yas.co.tz/mixx-by-yas and airtel.co.tz (per lib/data.ts); fiscal stack ×1.298 (10% excise + 18% VAT) applied to the operator fee. Quarterly review.
Signs of overcharging
- The agent asks for cash on top of the SMS confirmation amount.
- The actual amount differs from the operator SMS.
- The agent refuses to show you the operator SMS / receipt.
If any of these: call your operator's 100 with the agent number + transaction reference. Operators suspend agents found overcharging.
All values verified June 2026. Operator tariffs cross-checked against Vodacom Tanzania, Yas / Mixx by Yas, Airtel Tanzania and Halotel published sources; review cadence is quarterly.
Frequently asked questions
Can the agent refuse if cash is short?
Yes, an agent can run out of cash on a large request (usually > TSh 500,000) especially out of Dar es Salaam or month-start. Not an operator fault; find a larger agent or fractionate.
Should the agent give me a paper receipt?
The real receipt is the operator SMS sent to your phone on confirmation. That's the document that counts in a dispute — keep it. No paper needed.