Tanzania Amends Immigration Visa Regulations: Key Changes for 2025 The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania has gazetted the Immigration (Visa) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 (Government Notice No. 605), introducing significant changes to the existing Immigration (Visa) Regulations, 2016. These amendments, published on October 10, 2025, impact visa requirements, diplomatic categories, and the list of…
The Court of Appeal of Tanzania (at Dodoma) delivered a significant judgment in LAKAIRO INDUSTRIES GROUP CO. LIMITED & 2 others vs. KENAFRICA INDUSTRIES LIMITED & 2 others, (Civil Appeal No. 593 of 2022), which has significant, far-reaching consequences for intellectual property (IP) protection and cross-border trade in the East African Community (EAC) by overturning…
Question Legal Basis (Regulation) Answer 1. Is trademark recordal mandatory in Tanzania? Merchandise Marks Act [Cap. 85], Section 11A (as added by the Finance Act, 2025) and Regulation 3(1). Yes. The Act makes recordal compulsory for all imported goods bearing a mark into Mainland Tanzania. Regulation 3 sets out the application requirement. 2. Who needs…
The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) has issued its Draft Cloud Computing Guidelines for Financial Service Providers, 2025, a landmark document that significantly updates and supersedes the 2023 guidelines. This new framework goes beyond general recommendations to establish a clear and comprehensive regulatory system with explicit penalties for non-compliance. For RIVE& Co.’s clients, understanding these changes…
The Oil and Gas Revenues Management Act, Chapter 328 of the Laws of Tanzania, R.E. 2023, is a crucial piece of legislation that establishes a comprehensive framework for the governance of revenues from Tanzania’s oil and gas sector. Enacted to ensure transparency, accountability, and prudent financial management, the Act provides the legal foundation for the…
Tanzania’s growing economy and dynamic Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) sector present compelling opportunities for specialized capital deployment. For international financial institutions and local investment houses looking to establish a Debt Fund in local currency (TZS), the journey begins with securing the necessary regulatory foundation: a Fund Manager License from the Capital Markets and Securities…
For high-net-worth individuals and families in Tanzania, protecting generational wealth and ensuring the smooth succession of assets is a critical financial and legal priority. While wills are fundamental, the establishment of a Family Trust offers a powerful, private, and flexible mechanism for asset protection, structured distribution, and long-term governance. A family trust is a legal…
On June 30, 2025, the Tax Revenue Appeals Board (TRAB) delivered a landmark judgment that significantly impacts the tax treatment of foreign exchange losses in Tanzania. The case,Income Tax Appeal No. 41 of 2024, involved CMCAutomobiles Limited (the Appellant) and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). The core issue was the taxability of unrealized foreign exchange…
The question of whether a foreign trademark registration suffices for customs enforcement in Tanzania is definitively answered by the country’s new border control regulations. The clear answer is No: a foreign registration alone is insufficient. The legal instrument that creates this mandate is Regulation 3(2)(a) of the Merchandise Marks (Recordation) Regulations, 2025 (Government Notice No….
Background Participants in natural resource projects may decide, for a number of reasons, to participate alongside other companies. In these situations it is common to establish unincorporated joint ventures where the rights and responsibilities of the parties are set out in Joint Venture (or Joint Operating) Agreements (here, a “JOA”). Standard model JOAs are developed…