Photo: Erasmus Kamugisha, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0NHIF registration in Tanzania
Individuals, families, employees, children and students
On this page · 9 sections
Which route is yours?
| You are… | Who registers you | Where | Price or contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| An individual or a family | Yourself | selfservice.nhif.or.tz or an NHIF office | Package price by age — see NHIF packages |
| A public servant | Membership is compulsory (NHIF Act s.14(1)); your employer handles it | Through the employer | 3% from you and 3% from the employer (NHIF Act s.9) |
| An employee in the private sector | Your employer, within 30 days of employment (UHI Act s.22) | Through the employer | Contributions remitted by the 15th of the next month (UHI Regulations, reg. 23) |
| A child under 18 | A parent, guardian or sponsor — who need not be a member | NHIF office or self-service | Toto Afya: TZS 150,000 a year |
| A pupil or student in a group | The school, college or university | Through the institution | Toto Afya groups: TZS 50,400 a year |
| A member of an informal group (SACCOS, VIKOBA, boda boda riders, fishers, food vendors) | The group, 10 members or more | NHIF | Umoja Afya: TZS 60,000 a year per member |
Sources: NHIF Act, Universal Health Insurance Act, UHI Regulations, Toto Afya, Toto Afya groups, Umoja Afya, NHIF FAQ.
Register online, step by step
NHIF's FAQ says anyone joining the Ngorongoro or Serengeti packages does not have to visit an NHIF office: registration is done on NHIF Self Service (NHIF FAQ). From NHIF's online registration guide:
- Open selfservice.nhif.or.tz, choose Register, then Member Account.
- Pick your member type — employee, councillor, student, retiree, dependant, or Packages / Vifurushi for individuals and families.
- Create a username and password and enter your phone number; confirm it with the one-time code.
- Log in and verify your NIDA number by answering two questions, then add your address.
- Choose a package, get the control number and pay in one payment by bank or mobile money.
- Download your e-card details. Cover starts after the 30-day waiting period.
Documents for each person
| Person | What NHIF asks for |
|---|---|
| Principal member | NIDA number and a completed health assessment form |
| Spouse | Marriage certificate and the spouse's NIDA number |
| Child | A birth certificate verified by RITA (the verification number) and a digital passport photo |
| Child registered through a school | One passport photo and the school registration number — the school submits it |
| Umoja Afya group member | NIDA number for every member of the group |
From NHIF's dependants guide, online registration guide, FAQ and Umoja Afya pages. A family can register up to six people: the member, a spouse and four dependants; children are covered up to age 21.
Registering a child: Toto Afya or as a dependant
NHIF's FAQ gives three ways: add the child as your dependant, register the child through the school (Toto Afya for groups), or register the child alone (Toto Afya individual) (NHIF FAQ).
- Toto Afya individual: TZS 150,000 a year; 90-day waiting period; the parent or guardian fills in the child's details and signs for a child under 18, but does not have to be an NHIF member.
- Toto Afya through a school: TZS 50,400 a year per child; no waiting period; cover starts and ends on the same dates for the whole group.
- Registration can be done at an NHIF office or on the self-service portal; NHIF says it will also appoint registration agents among banks and mobile networks.
- Children from poor households identified by TASAF and TAMISEMI are to be enrolled through the universal health insurance system instead.
Students in colleges and universities
Higher-education students are registered by their institution in NHIF's online student system. According to NHIF's user manual, the Dean's office logs in, submits the list of new students and the card applications, requests the control number for payment, uploads continuing students, and can check the status of each ID card and verify a student's card.
Ask your Dean of Students' office for the deadline at your institution: the student is covered from the dates of the institution's batch.
Employers: register staff within 30 days
- The Universal Health Insurance Act, 2023 requires an employer to register its employees within 30 days of employment (s.22) (UHI Act).
- Contributions must reach the scheme by the 15th day of the following month (UHI Regulations 2024, reg. 23) (UHI Regulations).
- Public servants contribute 3% of salary and their employer 3% (NHIF Act s.9) (NHIF Act).
- Membership of an employee ends on termination of employment or after three consecutive months without contributions (NHIF Act s.14A).
Section 5 of the UHI Act, which makes membership of a health insurance scheme compulsory for everyone, was left out when the Act came into force in August 2024 — see health insurance in Tanzania for where the reform stands.
After you register
Hospitals check your membership on NHIF's verification system before treating you — see NHIF verification. Renew within 30 days of expiry, or you re-join as a new member. Logging in, the eCard and the other NHIF websites: NHIF portal. Questions: NHIF's free line 199 (NHIF). In Kiswahili: bima ya afya na vifurushi vya NHIF.
Already insured?
Next step
Frequently asked questions
How do I register for NHIF online in Tanzania?
On selfservice.nhif.or.tz: Register, Member Account, choose your member type, confirm your phone, verify your NIDA number, choose a package and pay with the control number.
What documents do I need for NHIF registration?
Your NIDA number and a health assessment form; for a spouse, the marriage certificate and their NIDA number; for a child, a RITA-verified birth certificate and a passport photo.
Can I register my child with NHIF if I am not a member?
Yes. For Toto Afya individual (TZS 150,000 a year) the parent or guardian does not have to be a member; they fill in and sign the child's form.
How do employers register employees with NHIF?
Within 30 days of employment under section 22 of the Universal Health Insurance Act, 2023, with contributions remitted by the 15th of the following month.
How do university students register with NHIF?
Through their institution: the Dean's office submits the student list and card applications in NHIF's online student system and pays with a control number.
How long after NHIF registration can I get treatment?
After 30 days for the individual packages and 90 days for Toto Afya individual; children registered through schools have no waiting period.
Sources
- NHIF Self Service — member registration portal
- NHIF — guide to registering online (flyer)
- NHIF — registering dependants (flyer)
- NHIF — Maswali yaulizwayo mara kwa mara (FAQ), pages 1 and 2 (seen 28 October 2026)
- NHIF — Toto Afya Kadi (individual)
- NHIF — Toto Afya Kadi for groups
- NHIF — Umoja Afya group package
- NHIF — Online Registration of Students, user guide manual (November 2020)
- Universal Health Insurance Act, 2023 — NHIF
- Universal Health Insurance Regulations, 2024 — NHIF
- National Health Insurance Fund Act, Cap. 395 (R.E. 2015) — NHIF
- NHIF — call centre number (press release)
- NHIF — press releases (fake Toto Afya notice, January 2026)