UTT AMIS Explained: How to Open an Account, Deposit via M-Pesa and Which Fund to Pick

You don't need a big lump sum to invest in Tanzania. UTT AMIS, the government-backed unit trust manager, lets you start with as little as TZS 5,000 in some funds, paid in by M-Pesa, Tigo Pesa, Airtel Money, its app or at a CRDB branch.

Its six funds returned between 11.4% and 15.8% in the year to September 2025. Which one suits Tanzanian savers depends on whether you want quick access to your cash, regular payouts or long-term growth for a child.

What is UTT AMIS, and is it safe to invest in?

UTT AMIS runs out of the old Unit Trust of Tanzania, a government-sponsored institution incorporated in 2003. Its six collective investment schemes are regulated by the Capital Markets and Securities Authority (CMSA) under the Capital Markets and Securities Act, 1994, and each fund's cash and securities are held by a custodian bank, CRDB Bank Plc, separately from UTT AMIS's own books, so the fund manager going under wouldn't wipe out your units (Umoja Fund interim report, 31 December 2025).

The business has grown fast. Total funds under management across all six schemes rose from TZS 2,238.2 billion on 30 June 2024 to TZS 3,268.7 billion on 30 June 2025, a 46% jump, while the number of investors grew by 143,990, or 44%, in the same year (UTT AMIS Liquid Fund Annual Report 2025). That doesn't make any fund risk-free: unit prices move daily and can fall as well as rise, and UTT AMIS says as much in every one of its own fact sheets.

UTT AMIS funds compared: minimums and returns

All six funds publish a Net Asset Value (NAV) per unit every working day; that's the price you buy and sell at. Here's what each one cost per unit on 8 October 2026, and what it returned in the year used in each fund's own fact sheets, dated 30 September 2025 (Umoja, Wekeza Maisha, Jikimu) or the audited year to 30 June 2025 (Watoto, Bond, Liquid):

Sources: fund minimums, launch dates and the Umoja, Wekeza Maisha and Jikimu returns come from the comparison table in the UTT AMIS Bond Fund Annual Report 2025. The Watoto, Liquid and Bond audited yearly figures (15.8%, 13.3% and 13.4%) come from their own 2025 annual reports. Past returns don't predict future ones, as UTT AMIS's own brochures say on every page.

Two numbers worth knowing before you compare funds on return alone: Umoja Fund deducts a 1% exit charge from your NAV when you sell, Jikimu Fund's exit charge tapers from 2% (within a year) to nil (after three years), and Liquid and Bond Funds charge no entry or exit load at all.

How to open a UTT AMIS account

1. Choose your fund and plan from the table above. This decides your minimum and which form you fill in.
2. Get your ID ready. The UTT AMIS Scheme Account Opening Form accepts a National ID (NIDA), voter's card, passport or driving licence as proof of identity, plus a recent passport photo. You'll also need a Tanzanian bank account in your name, because UTT AMIS pays withdrawals into it, not into mobile money.
3. Fill in the form. It asks for your full name, date of birth, job, where the money you're investing comes from (salary, business or other), and whether you're a resident or non-resident Tanzanian. Both are allowed. The form doesn't ask for a TRA TIN, but if your units grow into dividends or gains you need to declare, you'll need your own TIN to file that return; see how to check or register for a TRA TIN number online for free. Opening an account for a child under 18 (for the Watoto Fund) also needs the parent's or guardian's details.
4. Submit it at a UTT AMIS branch (Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Dodoma, Mwanza, Mbeya, Zanzibar, Morogoro or Kahama), or register through the UTT AMIS Mobile App (iOS and Android) or the investor portal, which lets you open an account and buy your first units online without a branch visit.
5. Get your investor account number. You'll need this exact number every time you pay in, because it's how UTT AMIS matches your M-Pesa payment to your account.

If you're funding your account from your salary, run your payslip through our Tanzania PAYE calculator first, so you're investing from what's left after tax, not your gross pay.

How to deposit into your UTT AMIS account via M-Pesa

UTT AMIS takes payments through M-Pesa's "Lipa na M-Pesa" menu, and the steps are the same whether you're buying your first units or topping up (UTT AMIS: buy units through M-Pesa):

1. Dial *150*00# on the line registered to your M-Pesa.
2. Select Lipa kwa M-Pesa.
3. Select Chagua kwenye Orodha (choose from the list).
4. Select Zaidi (more).
5. Select Michango ya Uanachama (membership contributions).
6. Select UTTAMIS.
7. Weka Kumbukumbu: enter your UTT AMIS investor account number as the reference. Get it wrong and your money can end up in someone else's account.
8. Weka Kiasi: enter the amount you're investing.
9. Weka Namba ya Siri: enter your M-Pesa PIN to confirm.

You'll get an M-Pesa confirmation SMS, and UTT AMIS converts your deposit into units at the next working day's NAV. UTT AMIS also accepts Tigo Pesa, Airtel Money, T-Pesa and Halo Pesa through the same kind of menu, plus deposits at any CRDB Bank branch. If you'd rather manage everything from one place, the UTT AMIS Mobile App and the USSD code *150*82# both let you buy units, check your balance and track your units directly, without going through the separate mobile-money menu. For general M-Pesa Tanzania transaction limits and charges on your own line, see our M-Pesa Tanzania charges guide. If you're moving money between wallets before you invest it, work out the exact fee with our Tanzania mobile money charges calculator.

Which UTT AMIS fund should you pick?

• You want somewhere safer than a savings account for cash you might need soon: Liquid Fund. It invests only in money markets, pays out within three working days of a request, and has no entry or exit charge.
• You're building a house in stages and need to draw money out as each phase comes due: Liquid Fund works the same way, paying out within three working days instead of locking your deposit away. See what building a house in Tanzania costs in 2026 before you set your savings target.
• You're saving for a child's school fees or future: Watoto Fund. It's built for under-18s, the entry amount is low (TZS 10,000), and you can choose a scholarship payout option or let it grow untouched.
• You want income paid out regularly, not locked away: Jikimu Fund pays quarterly if you put in TZS 2 million or more, or annually from TZS 1 million.
• You're between 18 and 55 and want investment and basic life cover in one product: Wekeza Maisha bundles life, accident and funeral cover (up to a TZS 25 million benefit) with your investment, for under 1% of your contribution.
• You want bond-like income without buying bonds yourself: Bond Fund, with reinvestment, monthly or semi-annual payout options. (If you'd rather buy government bonds directly, see our guide to buying Treasury bonds through Bank of Tanzania auctions.)
• You want a simple, long-running balanced fund and don't mind a 1% exit charge: the Umoja Fund, UTT AMIS's first and largest fund, running since 2005.
• You'd rather choose individual companies yourself than invest in a shared fund: skip UTT AMIS and buy shares directly on the DSE through a licensed stockbroker. See our guide to buying shares on the DSE.

If you're not sure, Liquid Fund or Umoja Fund are the easiest starting points: both take small amounts, and Liquid Fund in particular behaves like a flexible savings account you can leave or pull out of within days. Once you're earning enough to think about what else to do with surplus income, our compound interest calculator lets you test how different monthly top-ups and timeframes would grow in any of these funds.

Things to know before you invest

• Your reference number is everything. The M-Pesa deposit only reaches your account if you type your UTT AMIS investor account number exactly as "Weka Kumbukumbu." Double-check it before confirming.
• Exit charges differ a lot by fund. Selling Jikimu units within a year costs you 2% of the value; selling Umoja units always costs 1%. Liquid and Bond Funds charge nothing to exit. Factor that into which fund suits money you might need back quickly.
• Watoto Fund scholarship withdrawals only start once the child turns 12, even though you can open the account from birth, so don't plan to use it for school fees before then.
• Returns move with the market. UTT AMIS's own brochures show example growth scenarios between 8% and 15% a year and are explicit that actual returns can land outside that range. Treat any year's return, including the ones in the table above, as history, not a promise.
• Withdrawals go to your bank account, not your phone. Budget time for a bank transfer, not an instant M-Pesa payout, when you redeem units.
• A unit trust doesn't replace your NSSF Tanzania contributions if you're employed. Think of UTT AMIS as extra savings on top of your compulsory pension, not instead of it.

Frequently asked questions

Is UTT AMIS safe and legitimate?

Yes. UTT AMIS is regulated by Tanzania's Capital Markets and Securities Authority, and each fund's assets are held by CRDB Bank Plc as custodian, separate from UTT AMIS's own balance sheet. Total funds under management across its six schemes reached TZS 3,268.7 billion by 30 June 2025.

What is the minimum amount to invest in UTT AMIS?

It depends on the fund. The lowest entry points are Jikimu Fund's capital growth plan and Watoto Fund top-ups, both from TZS 5,000. Liquid Fund needs TZS 100,000 to start, and Wekeza Maisha and Jikimu's payout plans need TZS 1–2 million. Check the comparison table above for each fund's exact minimum.

Can I invest in UTT AMIS from outside Tanzania, or if I'm not a resident?

Yes for Liquid Fund and Bond Fund, which are explicitly open to non-resident Tanzanians and non-Tanzanians, individuals and institutions alike. The general account opening form also has a non-resident category, so check with UTT AMIS (0800 112 020 or uwekezaji@uttamis.co.tz) before committing to a fund with residency conditions attached.

How do I check my UTT AMIS balance or unit price?

Dial *150*82# on any network, log in to the investor portal at uwekezaji.uttamis.co.tz, or open the UTT AMIS Mobile App. Daily NAV per unit for all six funds is also published on uttamis.co.tz.

How long does it take to withdraw money from UTT AMIS?

The Liquid Fund pays out within three working days of a withdrawal request, because it only holds short-term money market investments. You can also withdraw from the other funds on any working day, but they follow their own rules: the Watoto Fund's scholarship option only pays after the child turns 12, and some funds have exit charges (see above). The money is paid into your registered Tanzanian bank account, not M-Pesa.

Which UTT AMIS fund has the best return?

In the year covered by each fund's own fact sheet (to September or June 2025), the Watoto Fund led at 15.8%, followed by Wekeza Maisha at 14.3% and Jikimu at 14.0%. Over longer periods the order changes: the Liquid Fund and Wekeza Maisha have shown stronger 5- and 10-year results in UTT AMIS's own reports. None of this guarantees how any fund will do next year.