THE National Identification Authority (NIDA) has enhanced its customer service centre to make it easier for Tanzanians to obtain identification cards and access other services.

The initiative aims to eliminate unnecessary visits to district and regional offices.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, NIDA Spokesperson Geofrey Tengeneza outlined several measures taken to improve call centre services in response to the increasing demand for services, including issuance of NIDA numbers and identification cards.

“These improvements include the digitalisation of services and an increase in the number of service providers, enabling NIDA to assist a larger number of people more effectively,” he said.

Tengeneza announced that all previous phone numbers used by customers will be discontinued after October 28. The new contact number will be 0232210500, which is a TTCL number.

“Through this number, customers will be able to call and inquire about various issues such as checking if their identification cards are ready and about their ID numbers,” he added.

The improvements are part of NIDA's celebrations for Customer Service Week, as the agency promised further improvements in service delivery.

In addition to the upgrades at the customer service centre, he encouraged clients to utilize NIDA's various social media platforms to access different services.

“We take pride in reaching more citizens through social media, and with the digital improvements at our service centre, we expect to engage with more people, including those in rural areas,” he said.

Tengeneza noted that inquiries would receive immediate responses based on their nature, while more complex questions would be addressed by department heads.

As of August this year, NIDA processed 21.5 million identification cards for eligible applicants, with 20.7 million already distributed. Of these, 19.5 million have reached their intended recipients—citizens aged 18 and above.