What is MTN MoMo?
First, a quick refresher: MTN MoMo (short for Mobile Money) is MTN Ghana’s mobile wallet / digital payments service. It lets you send money, receive, withdraw (cash out), pay bills, etc., all through your phone. There is no monthly maintenance fee for having a MoMo wallet. MTN Ghana
Because money moves through MoMo many times a day, understanding the fees (or costs) is super important — both so you don’t lose more than you need, and so you know what to expect.
Recent Important Policy Change: E-Levy Removal
A key recent change to know: the 1% Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) that used to apply to MoMo transactions in Ghana has been abolished as of April 2, 2025. GBC Ghana Online
This means that for MoMo transactions, you no longer have to pay the E-Levy tax charge that was applied earlier. That has an effect on what your net transfer or cash-out costs end up being. Always check the date when reading any fee-chart, because older charts may include E-Levy.
Key MTN MoMo Fees: What They Cost (Sending, Withdrawing, etc.)
Here are the main types of fees you’ll come across with MTN MoMo, with the current cost structures (or as recent as available). Some of this comes from news articles, MTN communications, or verified sources. I’ll include when things changed, so you know what’s latest.
| Type of Transaction | Fee / Charge | Notes & Thresholds |
|---|---|---|
| Sending money (transfer from your MoMo wallet to another MoMo wallet / user-to-user (P2P)) | If using mobile phone directly: 1% of amount when amount is > ~GHS 50; for small amounts (GHS 1–50) a smaller fixed fee (e.g., GHS 0.50) applies. Asetena Pa+1 | Below GHS 50, fixed small fee; above GHS 50, %‐based. Note: some promotions may waive fees for small P2P transfers. MTN Ghana |
| Sending via MoMo Agent (through agent rather than your phone / app) | Higher fees than direct mobile phone transfers. For example, using an agent might cost ~5% for amounts above GHS 50. Asetena Pa+1 | Agents provide cash handling; fees tend to be higher to cover their costs and risk. |
| Cash-out (withdrawals via MoMo agents) | • For amounts up to GHS 50: flat fee about GHS 0.50. Yen.com.gh – Ghana news.+1 • For amounts between GHS 50 and ~GHS 1,000: 1% of the amount. Yen.com.gh – Ghana news.+1 • For amounts above certain thresholds (e.g. GHS 2,000 and above): flat fees (e.g. GHS 20) apply. Graphic Online+1 | This means that once you cross a large amount, your fee stops growing proportionally and is capped / becomes flat. |
| Agent Commission on Withdrawals | Agents get a portion of withdrawal fees. For example: – For amounts between GHS 50–1,000: ~0.4% commission. – For very large withdrawals: flat commission (e.g. GHS 8) above certain thresholds. Yen.com.gh – Ghana news. | This is what the agent earns. For you (the user), this is built into the cash‐out fee. |
| Transfer to Other Networks / Interoperability | There is a higher fee when sending MoMo to other mobile money networks (like Vodafone, etc.) vs sending to another MTN user. For example, a transaction between GHS 50-1,000 is ~1% if staying on MTN, but ~1.50% if to another network. ResearchGate | Important if your recipient is on another network. Always check whether you’re sending “MTN to MTN” or “MTN to Other” because the cost differs. |
| International Transfers (Outbound / Inbound) | For example, sending from Ghana to Nigeria MoMo wallets: ~ 4% fee on sender’s side. Finance in Africa | These fees tend to be higher due to cross‐border costs, FX (foreign exchange) issues, regulatory, etc. Also, recipients usually don’t pay an extra fee in some cases. |
Recent Fee Increases / Changes: What Happened & When
- As of 1 July 2023, MTN increased cash-out fees. Prior to that, cash-outs up to GHS 1,000 had a maximum fee of 1%, and for amounts above GHS 1,000, GHS 10 flat. The new change made it so that: <br> • Amounts below ~GHS 2,000 attract 1%, <br> • Amounts of GHS 2,000 and above have a flat GHS 20 fee. Graphic Online+1
- The abolition of E-Levy (April 2, 2025) removed a tax layer on top of MoMo transactions, making overall cost for many transfers lower. GBC Ghana Online
What “Capped Fees” or “Flat Fees” Mean & Why They Matter
- Capped or flat fees mean beyond a certain amount, the extra cost doesn’t scale with the transaction. For example, once you withdraw above GHS 2,000, you pay GHS 20, whether it’s GHS 2,000 or GHS 10,000. That gives predictability.
- Percentage fees are proportional: send/withdraw more, you pay more (except where flat fee kicks in).
- Knowing where the switch (threshold) is helps you plan: if you often send ~GHS 1,500, maybe better to split into two transactions or wait to do it in bulk depending on which gives lower total fees (though double transactions might incur double minimum fees, etc.).
Example Scenarios: How Much Would You Actually Pay?
Let’s run through some practical examples so you can feel what these fees look like in real use:
| Scenario | Amount | Fee Type | Cost to You |
|---|---|---|---|
| Send GHS 40 to another MTN MoMo user (via mobile phone) | GHS 40 | Fixed small transaction bracket (below GHS 50) | ~ GHS 0.50 (or similar tiny fee) |
| Send GHS 500 to MoMo user | GHS 500 | 1% of GHS 500 = GHS 5 | |
| Cash-out GHS 80 at agent | GHS 80 | 1% on 80 = GHS 0.80 (if it’s in that bracket) | |
| Cash-out GHS 3,000 | GHS 3,000 | Flat fee GHS 20 (for amounts above threshold) | |
| Send MoMo to Nigeria MoMo (cross-border) GHS 200 | GHS 200 | ~4% fee = GHS 8 |
These are illustrative; actual fees may vary based on special promotions or recent changes. Always check the MTN/MoMo tariff schedule when doing large transactions.
Things to Watch Out for (Pitfalls & Hidden Costs)
- Older fee charts / web posts may include the E-Levy. Because that’s removed now, some figures may seem inflated. Always check date.
- Fees by agent vs phone/app differ, often with the agent being more expensive. Also, agent might charge extra service/handling fee, though officially MTN agents are not to charge more than the stipulated fee.
- Interoperability fees (sending to other networks) are more expensive. If possible, keep transfers within MTN when you can.
- Limits & caps: MoMo wallets might have KYC / “tiered” limits (daily/monthly limits, max balance) that influence whether certain fees or thresholds apply. Yen.com.gh – Ghana news.
- Promotions: MTN sometimes runs promotions that waive fees for certain P2P transfers, or zero charges up to a certain threshold. These can offer savings if you time them. But promotional terms can change. MTN Ghana
How to Use MoMo More Cost-Effectively: Tips & Hacks
Here are some strategies to reduce how much you pay in fees with MTN MoMo:
- Split transactions only when it makes sense. If you’re withdrawing just above the flat fee threshold, splitting might reduce fee, but you may pay double minimums, so do the math.
- Use phone/app transfer rather than going through agent if possible — cheaper.
- Send more via MTN-to-MTN rather than to other networks. If recipient doesn’t mind, ask them to switch or use MTN so you pay a smaller fee.
- Watch for promotions: MTN occasionally waives fees for small P2P transfers, etc.
- Do larger cash-outs less often: Because flat fees kick in for bigger withdrawals, doing fewer big ones rather than many small ones may cost less.
- Plan ahead for cross-border transfers: Use remittance services that integrate with MoMo and check their fees vis-à-vis direct cross-border MoMo transfers.
Why All This Matters
- Cost of Living: For many Ghanaians, fees on frequent small transactions can add up. Even a GHS 0.50 fee here, a 1% fee there, over many transactions in a month, becomes meaningful.
- Financial Inclusion: MoMo is used heavily in places where banks are either less accessible or less convenient. Reasonable fees help more people use it.
- Digital Economy Growth: The removal of E-Levy, etc., are moves towards making digital payments more attractive. If fees remain transparent and fair, usage tends to go up.
- Transparency & Trust: When people understand fees, thresholds, what “1%” means vs flat “GHS 20”, it builds trust. Users feel less cheated.
Bottom Line
- MTN MoMo charges fees for sending money, withdrawing, using agents, cross-network transfers, international transfers, etc.
- Key features now: E-Levy has been removed (so no extra tax on transfers), flat fees apply above certain thresholds, percentage fees below thresholds.
- Always check the latest MTN / MoMo tariff schedule (on their official website or via SMS / MTN notices) because changes do happen (e.g. in mid-2023 for cash-outs). …
- Use transfers via the app, stick to MTN-to-MTN when possible, watch for promotions, plan withdrawals smartly.
