Tanzania

Entered market 

1916

In 1925, the National Bank of South Africa was acquired by Barclays Bank (Dominion, Colonial & Overseas). By 1939, 11 offices were operational in the territory, controlled from Nairobi, and in 1964, the country of Tanzania was established through the merger of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. The nationalisation of all commercial banks in 1967, as decreed by the Arusha Declaration, meant that all of Barclays' business (28 offices including 12 full branches) passed to the National Bank of Commerce. In 2000, Barclays re-established its business as Barclays Bank of Tanzania Limited, opening a main branch in the central business district of Dar-es-Salaam, and by 2006 there were 4 BBT branches and over 150 staff. In 2005 Barclays acquired a controlling interest in South African bank ABSA, which had a controlling holding in the National Bank of Commerce with 35 branches in Tanzania. In 2007 Barclays staff worked to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS, with children at Sala Sala Primary School in Dar es Salaam, as part of Make a Difference Day. In 2011 Barclays Tanzania launched an initiative to improve maternal and infant welfare. In 2008 Barclays Tanzania launched its Grow With Barclays savings campaign. In 2009 Tanzania participated in Barclays’ You Can B programme, aimed at providing entrepreneurial opportunities, work experience and financial literacy for students. In the same year Barclays announced investment of £1.3m over three years in the World Wildlife Foundation’s PEARL programme for east Africa. In 2012 Barclays was named as Bank of the Year in Tanzania by The Banker magazine. In 2013, it was announced that Barclays Bank of Tanzania was to be incorporated into Barclays Africa Group Ltd (BAGL), of which Barclays owned 62.3%. In May 2016 Barclays announced plans for a progressive reduction of its shareholding in BAGL, to be completed within 3 years, as part of its long term strategy and in response to prevailing regulatory capital rules and the UK bank levy, initially to 50.1% of BAGL’s capital. In 2017 the holding was further reduced to 16.4%. Full separation was announced in 2018, with provision for Barclays’ branding to be used until 2020.

Traded as

National Bank of South Africa