Most money sent home to Ghana can now land in a mobile money wallet, and MTN MoMo is the wallet most senders are asked to use. The catch is that a MoMo wallet has a profile type, and the profile sets how much the wallet can move in a day. A sender in the UK or the US rarely knows which profile the recipient has. This guide sets out what MTN Ghana itself publishes about receiving from abroad, profile limits and upgrades, next to the sender-side rules in each country.
This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. We do not rank providers or recommend one, and nothing here is a quote. Rules and figures were checked on 12 November 2026 against the sources listed at the end. Where we could not confirm a point from an official source, we say so in the text.
Last updated 12 November 2026. This piece sits in the Protect section.
The short answer
Use a formal channel: a bank or a regulated money-transfer provider. Compare the cedis the recipient will actually receive, not the headline fee. Before you send to MTN MoMo, ask the recipient which profile their wallet is on. MTN publishes a daily limit of GHS 3,000 for the Minimum profile and GHS 15,000 for the Medium profile, and the recipient can upgrade. Check the provider is authorised (the FCA Register in the UK, the written disclosure before you pay in the US), and remember that a 1% US tax applies if you pay for the transfer in cash.
How big this corridor is
The World Bank reports that Ghana received about US$2.42 billion in personal remittances in 2025, down from about US$3.03 billion in 2024, a fall of about 20% in this series. The data does not explain why. It covers money sent from every country, not only the UK and US, and we did not find a UK or US share in the same data.
How the money can reach Ghana
| Route | What the recipient needs | What to check before you send |
|---|---|---|
| MTN MoMo wallet | A registered MTN MoMo wallet; the sender gives the mobile number | The recipient’s profile and daily limit, and that your provider pays out to MTN MoMo |
| Bank account deposit (cedis) | The account name exactly as the bank holds it, the bank and the account details your provider’s form asks for | That the name matches exactly; any charge the receiving bank makes, which we did not check |
| Other mobile wallets or cash pickup | Depends on the wallet or provider | We did not check other Ghanaian wallets or cash pickup rules, so use the wallet’s own help pages |
MTN’s help centre says: “Money can be sent instantly to your MTN MoMo wallet from any part of the world at any time in Ghana.” Payout times still depend on the provider and the route, so use the speed the provider shows you for your exact transfer.
Before you send to MTN MoMo
MTN says Minimum, Medium and Enhanced “are the different subscriber wallet profiles and what differentiates them are the daily transaction limits and Wallet Sizes”. It defines transaction limits as “the maximum amount of money that can be sent or received within a given period”, so a profile limit can affect money coming in, not only money going out.
The published profiles and limits
| Profile | Daily limit published by MTN | Documents MTN lists |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | GHS 3,000 | Ghana Card |
| Medium | GHS 15,000 | Ghana Card, source of funds and next of kin |
| Enhanced (MTN also calls it “maximum”) | Not published in the text of MTN’s help articles we read | Ghana Card, source of funds, next of kin and proof of address |
MTN’s help centre also has articles on account balance limits and on how limits differ between profiles, and says limits cover the daily transaction limit, the monthly transaction limit and the maximum account balance. But when we checked, those articles defined the terms without giving the cedi figures, and they did not publish the Enhanced daily limit or any balance limit. We do not quote figures from third-party sites. The recipient can see their own limits in the MoMo app or USSD menu, which is the best guide for their wallet.
How the recipient can upgrade
MTN’s upgrade article, updated in October 2026, gives a self-service route from Minimum (daily limit GHS 3,000) to Medium (daily limit GHS 15,000):
- Dial *170#.
- Select option 6, My Wallet.
- Select option 7, Upgrade Profile Type.
- Select the source of funds.
- Enter the next of kin’s name and number.
- Select 1 to confirm, then enter the MoMo PIN.
To move from Medium to maximum, MTN says to use its online customer request form: enter the phone number to receive a one-time code, select the MoMo Enhancement Form, upload a picture of a valid Ghana Card and a utility bill, bank statement or notarised tenancy agreement in the customer’s name, and submit. MTN says an SMS with a ticket number follows, and the customer can follow up if the request is not completed after 24 hours.
Who pays into MTN MoMo
MTN’s help centre says MoMo has partnered with “numerous remittance agencies” and links to a partner page, but that page returned “page not found” when we checked on 12 November 2026. MTN’s receive-from-abroad article does not name partners either. So check that the provider you use offers an MTN MoMo payout in the quote itself, and do not assume it does.
What it really costs
Fees are only part of the price. The exchange rate the provider uses is the other part. The mid-market rate is the rate banks use with each other, which you can see on a currency converter. The gap between that and the rate you are given is a cost.
The US Treasury quotes World Bank estimates in the Federal Register: for US$200 and US$500 remittance transfers sent from the United States in 2025, the average transaction fee was 5.56% and 3.81% of the amount, respectively. Those are global averages for sends from the US, not a price for Ghana and not a quote.
To compare offers:
- Write down the exact number of cedis the recipient will receive after all fees.
- Look up the mid-market rate at the same moment.
- Divide cedis received by the mid-market rate. The difference from what you sent is your real cost.
Illustration (invented numbers, not a quote). You send 300. The mid-market rate is 15 cedis per unit, so a perfect transfer delivers 4,500 cedis. Offer A charges a fee of 3 and uses a rate of 14.8, so the recipient gets 297 × 14.8 = 4,395.60 cedis, a cost of 104.40 cedis or about 2.3%. Offer B has no fee but uses a rate of 14.6, so the recipient gets 4,380 cedis, a cost of 120 cedis or about 2.7%. The “no fee” offer is the dearer one. Either amount is above the GHS 3,000 daily limit MTN publishes for a Minimum wallet, which is why the profile question comes first.
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Two quotes to compare. Wise and Instarem both list transfers from the UK to Ghana (GBP to GHS) on their UK sites. Price the same amount with each on the same day, run the steps above on both, and keep the one that delivers more cedis. Wise’s Ghana page lists local bank account payouts, not mobile money, and Instarem’s Ghana page does not say whether it pays into MTN MoMo. So use these two to price a payout to a Ghanaian bank account; if the recipient wants the money in MoMo, check that option appears in the quote. This is not a ranking: Bankrolled has affiliate links with both, and other regulated providers may be cheaper for your amount. Price a transfer with Instarem, then check Wise below. In the UK, Instarem is a brand operated by Nium Fintech Limited, which the Financial Conduct Authority authorises to issue electronic money and provide payment services (reference 901024). That makes it an e-money firm, not a bank. Instarem’s other countries have other entities, so check the one that serves yours (UK pages checked 12 November 2026).
Sending from the UK: checks
- Check the firm is authorised. The FCA says non-bank payment providers, such as authorised payment institutions, small payment institutions and electronic money institutions, must be authorised or registered. Search the FCA Financial Services Register by the provider’s legal company name.
- Know what is protected. The FCA says there is no Financial Services Compensation Scheme cover for these firms. Electronic money institutions and authorised payment institutions must safeguard customer money; small payment institutions do not have to.
- Complaints. Complain to the provider first. If you are unhappy with the answer, you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
- Money transfer businesses must be registered with HMRC under the Money Laundering Regulations.
- Cancelling. Under regulation 83 of the Payment Services Regulations 2017, a payment order generally cannot be revoked once your provider has received it, unless you agree otherwise with the provider. Check the provider’s terms before you pay.
Sending from the US: checks and rights
The 1% remittance tax applies only to some payments
The IRS says that beginning 1 January 2026, a 1% remittance transfer tax applies to remittances sent from the United States when the sender provides cash, a money order, a cashier’s check or another similar physical instrument to the provider. The sender is liable for the tax and the provider collects it. On US$500 paid in cash the tax would be US$5.
These are still proposed regulations. Comments were due on 12 June 2026, and we found no final regulations when we checked on 12 November 2026. IRS Notice 2026-52 extends penalty relief for remittance transfer providers until final regulations apply.
What a US provider must show you
Under the CFPB’s remittance rule (Regulation E, subpart B), before you pay, the provider must show the amount transferred, its fees and any taxes, the total, the exchange rate, and the amount the recipient will get. Your receipt adds the date the money will be available, your error and cancellation rights, and contact details for the provider and regulators.
Cancelling and errors
- Cancel. The CFPB says you can cancel at no cost if the money has not been picked up or deposited, you paid less than 30 minutes ago, and you gave enough information for the provider to find the transfer. A scheduled transfer can be cancelled up to three business days before it is made.
- Errors. Tell the provider within 180 days of the date it disclosed the money would be available. It must investigate within 90 days of your notice and then report the result to you.
- Wrong account. If you gave an incorrect account number, the transfer may not count as an error under section 1005.33, so you could lose the money. Check the MoMo number twice.
Receiving in Ghana: what the recipient should check
Before anyone sends, the recipient should check their MoMo profile type and how much room is left under today’s limit, in the app or the *170# menu. If a transfer is larger than their daily limit, they can upgrade first using MTN’s steps above, which need a Ghana Card. The number you send to should be the registered MoMo number. Tell your recipient to keep the confirmation message and transfer reference, and to contact the provider if a payment is delayed.
If you are a freelancer in Ghana paid from the UK or US
If you live in Ghana and clients abroad pay you, see our guides to getting paid in one country while you live in another, the payout fee stack on a US$2,000 payment, why a USD payment can arrive short and the W-8BEN. For money held across borders, see moving money across borders without a UK bank.
Safe-sending checklist
- Is the company on the FCA Register (UK), or does it give the US disclosure before you pay?
- Does the quote show the exact cedis the recipient will receive?
- Has the recipient confirmed their MoMo profile and daily limit, and that the amount fits?
- Does your provider actually offer an MTN MoMo payout for your transfer?
- Is the number you have the recipient’s registered MoMo number?
- Did you pay in a way that avoids the 1% US tax, where that applies?
- Did someone ask you to pay into new bank details? Check using our guide on checking a change of bank details before you pay.
- Have you kept the receipt and reference number?
If a bank closes your account because you live abroad, see what to do when a bank closes your account. Other corridors: India, Pakistan and the Philippines.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone abroad send money straight into an MTN MoMo wallet?
Yes, according to MTN Ghana, which says money can be sent to a MoMo wallet “from any part of the world at any time”. Check that your provider offers an MTN MoMo payout in its quote.
What are the Minimum, Medium and Enhanced profiles?
They are MTN MoMo wallet profiles. MTN says they differ by daily transaction limits and wallet size, and each needs more documents than the one before.
What daily limits does MTN publish?
GHS 3,000 a day for the Minimum profile and GHS 15,000 a day for the Medium profile, on MTN’s upgrade article.
How does the recipient upgrade their MoMo profile?
From Minimum to Medium, by dialling *170#, choosing My Wallet, then Upgrade Profile Type, and adding source of funds and next-of-kin details. From Medium to maximum, through MTN’s online enhancement form with a Ghana Card and proof of address.
What are the Enhanced and balance limits?
MTN’s help articles we read did not give those figures in their text. The recipient can check their own limits in the MoMo app or USSD menu. We do not use figures from third-party sites.
Which sending providers pay into MTN MoMo?
MTN’s partner page link was broken when we checked, and its receive-from-abroad article does not name partners. Check the payout options in each provider’s quote.
What rights do I have as a sender?
In the UK, use an FCA-authorised or registered firm; there is no FSCS cover, and complaints go to the firm and then the Financial Ombudsman Service. In the US, you get a written disclosure before you pay, can generally cancel free within 30 minutes, and have 180 days to report an error. A 1% US tax applies only to cash-type funding.
What should the recipient check before anyone sends?
Their profile type, their remaining daily limit, and that the number you have is their registered MoMo number.
How do I compare providers without a ranking?
Get quotes for the same amount at the same time, write down the cedis the recipient receives after all fees, and compare each with the mid-market rate.
I am a freelancer in Ghana paid from abroad. Where do I start?
See the freelancer section above, which links to our guides on getting paid across borders, payout fees and the W-8BEN.
What this guide does not cover
It is not tax, legal or financial advice. We have not listed named providers’ fees, speeds or limits, because they change often and we did not check any provider’s fee page for this edition; the method above shows how to compare live quotes. We did not find the Bank of Ghana document behind MTN’s limits, MTN’s Enhanced or balance figures, or a working MTN partner list, and we did not check other Ghanaian wallets, bank receiving charges or cash pickup rules. We do not cover sending money out of Ghana, Ghanaian tax on money received, informal channels, crypto, or business payments.
Sources
- World Bank: Personal remittances, received (current US$), Ghana, data last updated 8 October 2026, checked 12 November 2026
- MTN Ghana: Can I receive money from abroad into my MoMo account?, checked 12 November 2026
- MTN Ghana: What is the Minimum, Medium, and Enhanced KYC accounts?, checked 12 November 2026
- MTN Ghana: How can I upgrade my MoMo wallet limit?, updated October 2026, checked 12 November 2026
- MTN Ghana: What are the KYC requirements for each limit profile?, checked 12 November 2026
- MTN Ghana: What are transaction limits and how do they differ between KYC account types?, checked 12 November 2026
- IRS: Treasury, IRS issue proposed regulations on the new remittance transfer tax, checked 12 November 2026
- IRS Notice 2026-52, extending penalty relief for remittance transfer providers, checked 12 November 2026
- Federal Register: Excise Tax on Remittance Transfers, 13 April 2026, checked 12 November 2026
- CFPB: Can I cancel an international money transfer?, last reviewed 3 October 2024, checked 12 November 2026
- CFPB: Regulation E section 1005.31, disclosures, checked 12 November 2026
- CFPB: Regulation E section 1005.33, procedures for resolving errors, checked 12 November 2026
- FCA: Using payment service providers, page last updated 8 January 2026, checked 12 November 2026
- FCA Financial Services Register, checked 12 November 2026
- legislation.gov.uk: Payment Services Regulations 2017, regulation 83 (revocation of a payment order), checked 12 November 2026
- GOV.UK: Money laundering regulations, who needs to register, checked 12 November 2026
- Financial Ombudsman Service, checked 12 November 2026
- Instarem UK: Send money to Ghana (GBP to GHS; FCA authorisation notice for Nium Fintech Limited, reference 901024), checked 12 November 2026
- Wise UK: Send money to Ghana (GBP to GHS; bank payouts listed), checked 12 November 2026
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