NMB Bank Plc, Tanzania's largest bank by customers and branch network, is offering customers a 90-day waiver of transaction fees on its new internet banking service, NMB Direct, as it seeks to accelerate migration from branch-based banking to digital self-service for retail, SME and corporate clients.
The fee holiday, which took effect on October 5, 2026 and will run until December 31, 2026, covers bulk payments, domestic and international fund transfers and bill payments made through the platform, the bank announced during Customer Service Week 2026.
NMB Direct is the bank's upgraded internet banking portal, replacing its legacy retail and corporate online platforms with a single, unified interface.
The platform allows customers to manage multiple accounts, initiate bulk salary payments, make domestic transfers via TIPS and TACH, send international SWIFT transfers, pay bills including LUKU, water and TRA, and approve transactions with multi-level authorization for businesses.
According to NMB, the 90-day waiver means customers will pay zero transaction fees for qualifying operations on NMB Direct during the promotional period. The bank said the offer is intended to give customers time to experience the new platform at no cost and to cushion households and SMEs from transaction costs.
"NMB Direct was built from customer feedback. They wanted a faster, safer and more intuitive platform that can handle both personal and business needs in one place. To encourage adoption, we are waiving all transaction fees on the platform for 90 days," said Filbert Mponzi, Head of Personal Banking.
The launch comes with two additional customer experience enhancements unveiled during Customer Service Week.
The first is a dedicated service desk for customers with disabilities, designed to address barriers faced when accessing banking services.
The desk will cater for customers with hearing, visual and physical disabilities, with those with hearing impairments able to access services through video support using sign language.
"Our goal is to reduce communication barriers, protect customer privacy and enable customers to access support more independently," said Mponzi.
Second is a Self-Reversal service that allows customers to initiate eligible transaction reversals directly through NMB Mkononi app, covering erroneous transfers where funds remain unutilized. The move is expected to reduce the time and effort involved in resolving eligible transaction errors while strengthening the role of digital channels in delivering customer support.
"Self-Reversal is another step towards empowering customers to access support conveniently through technology," Mponzi said.
The three measures respond to the top three complaints from customers. Cost, accessibility and control over erroneous transactions.
NMB Direct complements the bank's existing digital channels NMB Mkononi mobile app, agency banking and ATMs. The bank, which is Tanzania's largest by customers with over 11 million accounts and over 230 branches, said NMB Direct features enhanced security with two-factor authentication, real-time notifications, transaction limits control and downloadable e-receipts.
The platform was launched at a time when the Bank of Tanzania has pushed for lower cost of digital payments, capping instant payment fees and licensing over 113 payment service providers as of March 2026 to boost competition.
