Ghana’s freight forwarding industry is raising fresh concerns over the proposed 0.75% wallet-to-bank transfer fee announced by Mobile Money Limited (MTN MoMo), warning that additional digital transaction costs could increase operational expenses across the country’s trade and logistics sector.
The concern comes even after the Bank of Ghana intervened to suspend the planned implementation of the charge following public backlash from businesses, traders and mobile money users.
The Freight Forwarders Association of Ghana (FFAG), in a statement welcoming the central bank’s intervention, said the suspension was a positive step toward protecting financial accessibility and reducing the cost burden on businesses increasingly dependent on digital payment systems.
The Association argued that freight forwarders, customs agents and small-scale traders now rely heavily on mobile money interoperability and wallet-to-bank transfers for daily operations, including customs-related payments, transport settlements and supplier transactions.
Industry players say the speed and convenience of mobile money systems have become critical to trade operations, particularly within Ghana’s fast-moving logistics environment where cashless transactions are increasingly replacing physical cash handling.
However, freight operators warn that introducing percentage-based transfer charges on wallet-to-bank transactions could significantly increase cumulative operating costs for businesses processing multiple transactions daily.
The issue has become particularly sensitive at a time when Ghana is positioning itself as a regional trade and logistics hub under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with policymakers simultaneously pushing digitalization as part of efforts to improve efficiency and reduce transaction bottlenecks.
In its statement, FFAG stressed that lowering transaction costs remains essential to supporting trade competitiveness and improving the ease of doing business in Ghana.
“FFAG remains committed to supporting policies that promote efficient trade, financial accessibility, and the reduction of the cost of doing business in Ghana,” the Association noted in the statement signed by its President, Francis Nyarepe-Attipoe.
The debate surrounding the proposed fee has also reopened broader conversations about the affordability of Ghana’s expanding digital finance ecosystem.
While digital financial platforms continue to improve transparency, financial inclusion and payment efficiency, additional transaction charges risk slowing adoption among small businesses and informal-sector operators who are most dependent on low-cost digital transfers.
For freight forwarders and trading businesses already dealing with transportation costs, port-related charges and broader operational expenses, industry observers say even relatively small transaction fees can accumulate into a significant cost factor over time.
The Bank of Ghana’s suspension of the planned fee is therefore being viewed within sections of the business community as an attempt to balance financial innovation with affordability and broader economic competitiveness.
