NHIF packages compared in Tanzania

NHIF Tanzania packages 2026: prices, benefits and how to join

Health & life6 min read · Reviewed on 23 September 2026 by the Tulinde editorial team · how we check facts

Short answerChecked 23 September 2026

NHIF sells five individual packages: Tarangire (from TZS 168,000 a year for an adult 18–35), Ngorongoro, Mikumi, Serengeti and Tanzanite (the widest, with branded medicines, private wards and treatment abroad). Children can join Toto Afya for TZS 150,000 a year, informal groups Umoja Afya for TZS 60,000 per member, and since January 2026 households can get the universal basic package for TZS 150,000. Register online at selfservice.nhif.or.tz with your NIDA number; cover starts after 30 days.

NHIF packages and yearly prices

Beyond the universal basic package, NHIF sells five packages to individuals and families. Yearly contributions from NHIF's packages flyer (August 2025), in TZS:

Who	Tarangire	Ngorongoro	Mikumi	Serengeti	Tanzanite
Child 0–17	—	240,000	432,000	660,000	1,500,000
Adult 18–35	168,000	432,000	480,000	792,000	2,712,000
Adult 36–59	192,000	540,000	744,000	1,620,000	2,880,000
Adult 60+	240,000	708,000	1,140,000	3,336,000	6,708,000
Couple 18–35	330,960	820,800	945,600	1,504,800	5,342,640
Couple + 4 children, 36–59	843,840	1,890,000	3,141,840	5,454,000	11,493,600

Where you are treated: Tarangire covers dispensaries up to regional referral hospitals; the other four packages cover more than 10,000 facilities up to national hospitals, by referral.
Waiting period: 30 days after you register and pay.
Renewal: within 30 days of expiry, or you re-join as a new member.
Dependants: a spouse and up to four children under 21; families get up to 10% off dependants' contributions.
Dialysis, cancer and delivery: covered with a 50% co-payment. CT and MRI scans are not covered by Tarangire.
How to join: online at selfservice.nhif.or.tz, one lump-sum payment; NHIF's free helpline is 199.

What each package covers

Benefit	Tarangire	Ngorongoro	Mikumi	Serengeti	Tanzanite
Laboratory and radiology tests	100	101	172	301	438 + PET scan once a year
CT / MRI	Not covered	20%, once a year	30%, once	50%, once	100%, once
Medicines	280	338	419	770	1,654 (generic and branded)
Admission	General ward + HDU	Ward + HDU + ICU	Ward + HDU + ICU	Ward + HDU + ICU	+ private / VIP ward
Surgical procedures	30	81	167	486	595
Dental	Fillings	Fillings, scaling	Fillings, scaling	+ dentures	+ dentures, crowns, bridges
Physiotherapy	—	4 a month	8 a month	12 a month	12 a month
Assistive devices	—	2 items	2 items	8 items	14 items incl. hearing aid
Dialysis and cancer	—	Special scheme (50% co-pay)	Special scheme	Special scheme	Special scheme
Ground ambulance / treatment abroad	—	—	—	—	Covered

Consultations, maternity and emergencies are covered in all five packages; some items need prior approval. From NHIF's packages flyer (August 2025).

How to register online

Go to selfservice.nhif.or.tz, choose Register then Member Account.
Pick your member type (employee, councillor, student, retiree, dependant, or Packages / Vifurushi).
Create a username and password and enter your phone number; confirm with the one-time code.
Log in and verify your NIDA number by answering two questions, then add your address.
Choose a package, pay with the control number (bank or mobile money, in one payment) and download your e-Card.

Documents: your NIDA number; for a spouse, the marriage certificate and their NIDA; for each child, a RITA-verified birth certificate and a digital photo; everyone fills in a health assessment form (NHIF registration guide; dependants guide). NHIF issues e-Cards; adults can be served with their NIDA number (NHIF FAQ).

Rules to know before you pay

Waiting period: 30 days after registration and payment (90 days for Toto Afya individual).
Renewal: within 30 days of expiry, or you re-join as a new member.
Dependants: up to six people in total — you, a spouse and four dependants (children under 21, and for employees also parents and in-laws).
Annual limits apply to every beneficiary; the premium is based on the oldest family member's age; no refunds.
Members under 18 get no maternity cover and need a sponsor.
Families get up to 10% off dependants' contributions.

Toto Afya and Umoja Afya

Package	Who	Price	Key rules
Toto Afya (individual)	Children under 18 — the parent need not be a member	TZS 150,000 a year	Benefits like Ngorongoro; 90-day waiting period; photo and RITA-verified birth certificate
Toto Afya (groups)	Pupils and students through schools, colleges, universities	TZS 50,400 a year	TZS 400,000 yearly limit; no waiting period; some services from year 2
Umoja Afya	Informal groups of 10+ (SACCOS, VIKOBA, boda boda riders, fishers, food vendors)	TZS 60,000 a year per member	400 services, general ward; cover after 30 days; all members with NIDA

Sources: Toto Afya, Toto Afya groups, Umoja Afya. NHIF has warned about a fake Toto Afya offer sold through a private agent and WhatsApp — pay only through NHIF's control number (NHIF).

Universal health insurance and the basic package

The Universal Health Insurance Act 2023 makes health insurance compulsory for everyone and requires employers to contribute (s.5) — but the commencement notice GN 700A brought the Act into force on 16 August 2024 except section 5 and the late-joining penalty (s.37), so compulsory membership has not started yet.
The basic package (Kitita cha Huduma Muhimu) started on 26 January 2026, first for households the government pays for: TZS 150,000 per household of up to six people.
By mid-2026, 997,015 people in 276,004 target households had been registered in phase one.
Employers must register staff within 30 days of employment (UHI Act s.22) and remit contributions by the 15th of the following month (UHI Regulations 2024, reg. 23). Public servants' NHIF contribution is 3% from the employee and 3% from the employer (NHIF Act s.9).

Sources: UHI Act, GN 700A, UHI Regulations, NHIF Act, basic package, rollout.

Facilities and help

Find an accredited hospital, health centre or dispensary by region, district and ward on NHIF's facility search. Call NHIF free on 199 or 0800 787800 (24/7) (NHIF). Employers can add a supplementary plan (treatment abroad, private ward, branded medicines, ambulance) (NHIF).

Compare with private cover: health insurance in Tanzania · Kwa Kiswahili: bima ya afya.

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Frequently asked questions

How much is NHIF in Tanzania?

From TZS 168,000 a year for an adult aged 18–35 on Tarangire, up to TZS 2,712,000 on Tanzanite for the same adult; families pay more. Toto Afya for a child is TZS 150,000 a year, Umoja Afya TZS 60,000 per group member.

What is the difference between Tarangire and Ngorongoro?

Tarangire is cheaper but limited to dispensaries up to regional referral hospitals, with 100 tests and no CT/MRI; Ngorongoro covers more than 10,000 facilities up to national hospitals, 101 tests, 338 medicines, ICU and 20% of a CT/MRI once a year.

How do I register for NHIF online?

On selfservice.nhif.or.tz: register a member account, verify your NIDA number, choose a package, pay with the control number and download your e-Card.

How long is the NHIF waiting period?

30 days after registration and payment for the individual packages; 90 days for Toto Afya individual.

Is health insurance compulsory in Tanzania?

The Universal Health Insurance Act 2023 provides for it (s.5), but that section was excluded from the Act's commencement in August 2024, so compulsory membership has not started yet.

What is the NHIF helpline?

199 (free) and 0800 787800 (free, 24/7).