On this page
- What must a letterhead show for a bank or tender panel to verify the entity?
- Why does the registered name matter more than the trading name?
- What does a bank ask of a company?
- What does a tender panel check?
- Which letterhead faults send a reader back to the file?
- What the NEMBO desk prepares
- Sources and status
- Frequently asked questions
What must a company letterhead show so a bank or tender panel can verify the company?
A letterhead shows the legal name as registered, the registration number, the TIN, the registered office, and on each letter the signatory's name, position and authority. As read on 17 October 2026, NMB asks for certified copies of the business licence, TIN, memorandum and articles, certificate of incorporation and a board resolution.
A relationship manager opens a letter from a borrower and reaches for the certificate of incorporation. A tender panel opens a bid and reaches for the authority to sign. If the letterhead does not match those records line for line, the letter waits while someone writes back.
This note sets out what a company letterhead shows so that the reader can match the writer to the registry, the tax record and the authority document, using the lists NMB and PPRA publish, and scores a fictional letterhead against a ten-point checklist.
What must a letterhead show for a bank or tender panel to verify the entity?
The legal name exactly as registered, the registration number, the TIN, the registered office and, on each letter, the signatory's name, position and authority. Each item is matched to a record the reader already holds, so each is printed as it appears on that record and not as the company prefers to trade.
| Letterhead item | Record the reader holds | Where published |
|---|---|---|
| Legal name as registered | Certificate of incorporation; TIN certificate | NMB 1; TRA 2 |
| Registration number | Certificate of incorporation | NMB 1 |
| TIN | TIN certificate | NMB 1; TRA 2 |
| Registered office | Proof-of-address letter | NMB 1 |
| Signatory name and position | Board resolution; signatories' identification | NMB 1; PPRA 4 |
| Authority reference | Board resolution date; notarised power of attorney for a tender | NMB 1; PPRA 45 |
Why does the registered name matter more than the trading name?
Every record the reader holds is in the registered name. After BRELA registration, a director submits documents to the nearest TRA office to obtain the Company TIN, and the registered business name is indicated on the TIN certificate 2. A tender security form must include the complete name of the tenderer 5. A trading name on the letterhead, with no registered name beside it, sends the reader to look for the match.
What does a bank ask of a company?
NMB's business account page states that registered businesses may open the account and lists certified copies of the business licence, TIN, memorandum and articles of association and certificate of incorporation, an annual return from BRELA where applicable, a board resolution to open the account, certified identification of the authorised signatories and a letter from the village or ward executive officer as proof of residence 1. BRELA's own registration page asks each director for a NIDA number, or a passport for a foreign national, and a TIN 3.
What does a tender panel check?
PPRA's standard tendering documents require a tender to be signed by a person duly authorised to sign for the tenderer, with authorisation documents indicating each signatory's names and positions, and a duly notarised power of attorney authorising the signatory 45. A tender that is unsigned can be rejected as non-responsive 4. A letter to a panel carries the same three lines in its signature block: the person, the position and the authority.
Source: computed from the worked example; checklist items drawn from NMB's business account page and PPRA's standard tendering documents, read 17 October 2026.
Note: illustrative scoring for a fictional company. The checklist is a preparation list and not a rule of any bank, registry or panel. Nothing here is an offer or a guarantee of any reader's decision.
Which letterhead faults send a reader back to the file?
- A trading name in place of the registered name.
- A postal box in place of the registered office.
- A TIN missing, or copied from an earlier certificate.
- A signature block with a name and no position.
- A logo image that carries the legal name with no text line beside it.
What the NEMBO desk prepares
The Client shares the company, the reader and the decision needed. Zatra Consultants Limited checks the figures and sources, and NEMBO returns the letterhead and the letter together, with seven header styles, six type pairs and a palette taken from the company's own mark, in editable Word and print-ready PDF on A4 6. The set is delivered in hours and quoted in writing.
The desk prepares the document. It does not decide, and does not guarantee, the acceptance of any bank, registry or tender panel.
Letterhead and letter on the Client's own identity
The desk prepares the letterhead and the stakeholder letter on the Client's details, with seven header styles and a palette taken from the company's own mark, in Word and print-ready PDF.
Share the company detailsSources and status
Accurate as at 17 October 2026. Every figure below was read at the source named, on the date shown.
- 1Business Savings AccountNMB Bank Plc, undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- 2Starting a business: Taxpayer Identification NumberTanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- 3Registration of companiesBusiness Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA), undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- 4Standard Tendering Document for Small WorksPublic Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), February 2022. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- 5Standard Tendering Document for Non-Consultancy ServicesPublic Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), February 2022. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- 6Letterheads: stakeholder letters on one identityNEMBO, undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.
Figures to confirm before you act
- The documents a bank requires to open or maintain a company account, with the Client's bank.
- The registered name, registration number and registered office as they stand on the register, with the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency.
- The TIN and the VAT registration number as printed on the certificates, with the Tanzania Revenue Authority.
- The signing authority and the form of power of attorney a tender requires, with the procuring entity.
- The signatory's authority for each letter, with the Client's board or company secretary.
This article is general information based on official sources available at the date of publication. It is not legal, tax, valuation or financial advice. Laws and notices change. Verify with the issuing authority or consult Zatra Consultants Limited before acting.
Frequently asked questions
What must a company letterhead show in Tanzania?
The legal name as registered, the registration number, the TIN, the registered office and contact lines, and on each letter the signatory's name, position and authority. Each is matched by the reader to a record already held, so each is printed as it appears on that record.
Does a letterhead need the TIN?
A reader matches the company to its TIN certificate, which NMB lists among the records for a business account and on which TRA indicates the registered business name. Printing the TIN lets a bank, a registry or a panel make that match without writing back.
Should the trading name or the registered name appear?
The registered name must appear, as it does on the certificate of incorporation and the TIN certificate. A trading name may sit beside it. PPRA's tender security form must carry the complete name of the tenderer, so a differing name invites a query.
What authority does a letter to a tender panel need?
The signatory is duly authorised to sign for the company, and the authorisation indicates names and positions. PPRA's standard tendering documents also require a duly notarised power of attorney authorising the signatory of the tender.
What address belongs on the letterhead?
The registered office, which the reader matches to the proof of address held on file. NMB asks for a letter from the village or ward executive officer as proof of residence. A postal box can sit beside the registered office and not in place of it.
Is a logo enough to carry the company name?
No. The legal name is printed as text beside the logo. A reader who cannot see the image, or who copies the name into a record, needs the text, and a logo alone does not show the registered form of the name.
How quickly can the desk prepare a letterhead?
The letterhead and letter are delivered in hours from complete details, and the written quote states the delivery time for the document ordered. The desk does not estimate any bank's or panel's response.
