Claim: Ghana Revenue Authority has brought back E-Levy
Source: Ohemaa Sakyiwaa, Angel FM presenter
Verdict: False
Researched by Samuel Nii Adjetey
A presenter with Accra-based Angel FM/TV, Ohemaa Sakyiwaa, has claimed that the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has reintroduced the Electronic Transfer Levy popularly known as E-Levy.
She made the claim during the Tuesday May 26, 2026 edition of the Angel Morning Show on Angel FM. “E-Levy is back ooo. E-Levy is back… Did you receive your message or is it because E-Levy has not been written, you don’t understand? GRA has brought E-Levy back,” she said.
The claim follows a May 25, 2026 announcement by telecommunications company, MTN Ghana, to its customers informing them that Mobilemoney (MoMo) users will pay a fee of 0.75 percent per transaction for transfers from their MoMo wallets to bank accounts effective June 1, 2026.
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According to the notice, the charge will be capped at GH¢5 per transaction regardless of the amount transferred. MTN explained that the fee adjustment is aimed at helping improve its services to customers. “This will help us continue to serve you better,” the message stated.
This fact-check will verify the claim that GRA had reintroduced the E-Levy.
Fact-check
GhanaFact’s investigation found that the 0.75% charge announcement was by a private telco operator, MTN Ghana to its customers and not a directive by GRA to all telecom companies. There was also no evidence of the revenue authority issuing any directive for a charge to be imposed on MobileMoney transactions.
On May 26, 2026, a day after MTN’s message to its customers, Bank of Ghana issued a statement informing the public that “Mobile Money Fintech Limited (MMFL) has been directed to pause the implementation of its proposed 0.75 percent fee on direct wallet-to-bank transfers.”
The statement added that the directive is to ensure that changes to charges on mobile financial services are introduced fairly and support the financial well-being of consumers.
“This decision reflects our commitment to ensuring that any changes to charges in the mobile financial services ecosystem are introduced fairly, protect consumers, and support their financial wellbeing,” the statement added.
| E-Levy | Momo transfer charge | |
| Proposer | Government of Ghana | MTN (Mobile Money Fintech Limited) |
| Nature of charge | Government tax | Commercial service charge |
| Implementer | Ghana Revenue Authority | Mobile Money Fintech Limited (MMFL) |
| Amount | 1% on transactions exceeding GH¢100 daily threshold | 0.75% per transaction (capped at GH¢5) |
What is E-Levy?
The Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) was introduced by the Government of Ghana in May 2022 under Act 1075 to mobilize revenue by tapping into the growing informal and digital economies. While it originally launched at a rate of 1.75% for transactions exceeding a daily cumulative threshold of GH¢100, the government subsequently reduced the rate to 1% in January 2023.
About two years into implementation, the controversial tax was repealed in April 2025. President John Mahama signed the repeal into law on April 2, 2025, removing the tax burden from electronic transfers. As at the time of publishing this report, mobilemoney and digital banking transactions across Ghana are fully exempt from the levy.
Expert Clarification: Tax vs. Commercial Service Fee
To better understand the distinction between a government tax or levy and a private corporate fee, GhanaFact spoke to Derek Laryea, a technology consultant, who clarified why comparing MTN’s new charge to the defunct E-Levy is fundamentally incorrect.
He explained that while the E-Levy was a mandatory, state-imposed tax designed to funnel revenue directly into public coffers for national development, the proposed MTN wallet-to-bank charge is entirely commercial.
“The MTN Wallet-to-Bank charge, on the other hand, is a service fee charged by a private service provider for facilitating a transaction between a mobile wallet and a bank account, similar to bank transfer charges, ATM fees, or payment processing fees,” he stated.
However, Laryea noted that it is understandable why the public confusion and comparisons persist. According to him, from a consumer’s perspective, both mechanisms result in the exact same outcome: money being deducted directly from their wallet during an electronic transfer.
“The reason the comparison persists is because, from the customer’s perspective, both result in money being deducted whenever funds are moved electronically and plus the 0.75 figure is very familiar with the earlier fee agreed for E-Levy charge,” he added.
GhanaFact reached out to Ohemaa Sakyiwaa with our findings for her reaction. However, we did not receive a response.
Verdict:
The claim that E-Levy has been reintroduced is False.
