I can’t abolish E-levy until I’m told to do so – MTN CEO

MTN Ghana CEO, Stephen Blewett, has stated that the company cannot immediately abolish the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) despite President John Dramani Mahama’s announcement.

He emphasized that official directives must be followed before making such changes.

“There’s a process that has to be followed,” Blewett said on April 2 at MTN House in Accra. “I can’t abolish E-Levy until I’m told to do it. If I do it ahead of time, the Bank of Ghana will catch me.”

His comments come after President Mahama signed new laws scrapping several taxes, including the E-Levy, Betting Tax, and Emissions Tax.

The move aligns with his administration’s commitment to reducing financial burdens on Ghanaians and stimulating economic activity.

Introduced in 2022, the E-Levy faced widespread criticism for increasing mobile money transaction costs. Its repeal is expected to boost digital transactions and financial accessibility.

Meanwhile, the removal of the Betting Tax could benefit the gaming industry, and eliminating the Emissions Tax is expected to ease operational costs for businesses.

MTN Ghana awaits official directives before implementing the tax removals.