BRELA Strike-Off Notice: 5,277 Companies Have 90 Days to Object

What BRELA published

The Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA) published a final notice of intention to strike off 5,277 companies in the Government Gazette of 18 September 2026 (Gazette No. 38, Notice No. 16308). The notice was signed on 9 September 2026 by the Assistant Registrar of Companies, Leticia J. Zavu. It relies on section 403(3) of the Companies Act, Cap. 212, the section that lets the Registrar strike a defunct company off the register. BRELA confirmed the notice in a statement on its website on 28 September 2026.

This is the last step of a process that began in 2022. BRELA says the same companies were asked to confirm that they were operating in notices issued on 2 June 2022 and 13 July 2022. The listed companies now have 90 days from publication to lodge an objection. The Gazette says that if no objection is received when that period ends, the Registrar will proceed to strike the companies off the Register of Companies.

BRELA keeps the register for Mainland Tanzania. Companies registered in Zanzibar sit on a separate register kept by BPRA, so this notice does not reach them. See our note on registering in Zanzibar with BPRA.

Why it matters

A struck-off company stops appearing on the register as a live company. That undermines what a business relies on the company for: signing contracts, running a bank account in its own name, renewing a business licence, getting a TRA tax clearance certificate and passing a counterparty's due diligence.

Restoration after a strike-off is possible, and BRELA's published fee for restoring a company's name to the register is TZS 50,000. It is a separate process, it is slower than objecting inside the 90 days, and its outcome is not guaranteed. If a company has already been struck off, take advice from an advocate on the route back.

Who is affected

• Companies that stopped filing annual returns, including active businesses that fell behind at BRELA while staying current with TRA.
• Dormant or special-purpose companies formed for a project, a tender, a land deal or a future plan and then left idle. Our guide to dormant company filings sets out what such a company still owes.
• Foreign-owned companies whose overseas shareholders relied on a local agent who has since moved on.
• Companies that changed address or officers without telling BRELA, and so never saw the 2022 notices.

What to do now

1. Check the list. Search the schedule to the Gazette of 18 September 2026 for the company's exact registered name and number. BRELA directs companies to its website, and the Gazette is also published by the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Draftsman. Check later weekly editions too.
2. Confirm the company's status on BRELA's Online Registration System (ORS), and confirm who controls the account.
3. Bring annual returns up to date. BRELA charges TZS 22,000 to file an annual return. Late delivery of a document carries a penalty of TZS 2,500 for each month or part of a month. The full schedule is in our government fees handbook, and the amount on BRELA's control number governs on the day of payment.
4. Prepare the objection. Write to the Registrar naming the company and the Gazette notice. Attach evidence that the company is carrying on business: a board resolution, recent bank statements, TRA returns or tax clearance, a current business licence, and live contracts or invoices.
5. Tidy the record at the same time. Update the registered office, directors, shareholders and beneficial ownership particulars, so the file is consistent when BRELA reviews the objection.
6. Lodge early and keep proof. Do not wait for the last week. Keep the submission receipt and any acknowledgement from BRELA.
7. If the company is finished, consider whether an orderly deregistration serves the shareholders better than an objection, especially where tax or contract matters remain open.

Key dates

• 2 June and 13 July 2022: earlier BRELA notices asking the same companies to confirm they were operating.
• 9 September 2026: final notice signed by the Assistant Registrar.
• 18 September 2026: notice and company list published in the Gazette. The 90 days run from publication.
• 17 December 2026: the 90th day on our count. BRELA has not published a closing date, so confirm it with BRELA and aim to lodge by the end of November.

BRELA's published contacts for queries are +255 22 2212800 and [email protected].

How Zatra helps

Zatra's corporate desk checks whether a company is listed, rebuilds the filing record, files overdue BRELA annual returns and prepares the objection pack for the Registrar. For companies that want this handled every year, the Compliance Renewal plan covers annual-return coordination, licence renewal and an obligations calendar. BRELA charges are paid at the official rate against BRELA's control number and are never marked up.

The Registrar decides every objection. Zatra does not decide or guarantee any authority's outcome.

Sources and status

Accurate as at 5 October 2026.

• Gazeti la Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania No. 38, Notice No. 16308: Final Notice of Intention to Strike Off Companies: Office of the Chief Parliamentary Draftsman, 18 Sep 2026. Accessed 5 Oct 2026.
• BRELA issues final notice of intention to strike off 5,277 companies from the Registrar's register: BRELA, 28 Sep 2026. Accessed 5 Oct 2026.
• BRELA puts dormant firms on notice: Daily News, 18 Sep 2026. Accessed 5 Oct 2026.
• BRELA moves to deregister 5,277 companies: The Respondents, 29 Sep 2026. Accessed 4 Oct 2026.

Figures to confirm before you act

• Closing date of the 90-day window (17 December 2026 on our count): confirm with BRELA; the Gazette states 90 days from publication, not a date
• Annual return fee TZS 22,000 and late penalty TZS 2,500 per month: Companies Act Cap. 212 fee schedule; the BRELA control number governs
• Restoration fee TZS 50,000: Companies Act Cap. 212 fee schedule; advocate and any court costs are separate

This article is general information based on official sources available at the date of publication. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Laws and notices change. Verify with the issuing authority or consult Zatra before acting.