On Friday, May 16, 2025, the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) and the National Identification Authority (NIDA) held a joint press conference at the HESLB Eastern Zone offices in Dar es Salaam to announce their new partnership aimed at ensuring all prospective university students for the 2025/2026 academic year obtain their National Identification Number (NIN) in time to apply for student loans.
HESLB and NIDA to Require NIN for 2025/2026 Student Loan Applications
Speaking during the event, HESLB Executive Director Dr. Bill Kiwia emphasized that having a NIN will be a mandatory requirement when applying for a student loan in the upcoming academic year. “We expect to open the loan application window in June 2025 for the 2025/2026 academic year. A National Identification Number will be a compulsory requirement in the loan application forms. Therefore, all applicants must have this number when submitting their applications,” said Dr. Kiwia.
On his part, NIDA Director General Mr. James Kaji assured the public that NIDA is ready to serve all students who intend to join universities and apply for loans from HESLB. He urged students to visit NIDA offices early to obtain their NINs on time. “NIDA is life. Currently, NIDA is implementing directives from H.E. President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan to ensure all government systems are interconnected. We urge all loan applicants to visit NIDA early to obtain their National Identification Numbers,” said Mr. Kaji.
Dr. Kiwia also highlighted the importance of using the NIN in the loan application process, stating that it will help ensure the accuracy of applicant information and aid in loan repayment after students complete their studies. “Our system experts from both HESLB and NIDA have completed integrating the systems to ensure that all loan applicants enter their NINs during application. This will help us get reliable data on applicants and facilitate loan recovery after graduation,” added Dr. Kiwia.
To simplify the process of acquiring NINs, Mr. Kaji noted that NIDA has improved its online services and encouraged applicants to use the NIDA e-portal via https://eonline.nida.go.tz to submit their applications. “Applicants can now apply for their NINs online. This method significantly reduces congestion at NIDA offices, as 75% of the registration is done by the applicant online, and the remaining 25% is finalized by NIDA,” he explained.
To further ease the process and raise awareness, HESLB and NIDA plan to begin an education campaign starting in Dar es Salaam to inform students about the importance of obtaining a NIN and how to go about it. This initiative aims to streamline the issuance of identification numbers for students applying for loans in the 2025/2026 academic year.
In summary, all prospective university students intending to apply for HESLB loans for the 2025/2026 academic year must ensure they have their National Identification Numbers ready before the loan application window opens in June 2025.
