The Cost of Refunds and Reversals on Mobile Money in Kumasi in 2026

The verdict in three sentences

A mobile money refund is never neutral for your margin: many providers keep the acquiring fee and add a reversal fee. In Kumasi, MTN loses you the original fee and charges a GHS 1 refund fee on top. The defense is a written returns policy that separates recoverable from non-recoverable fees and frames partial refunds.

Recoverable vs non-recoverable fees

When you refund a customer, two fee categories come into play. The initial acquiring fees are most often lost: the provider already collected them and does not return them. The reversal fees are an added cost charged to execute the refund. Understanding this double hit is the basis of a healthy policy.

2026 order of magnitude. On an item refunded at 30,000 FCFA-equivalent, the double hit (lost acquiring + reversal) costs around 2 % of the amount.

Building a returns policy that protects margin

A good policy does not remove costs but makes them predictable and, where law allows, shareable. Here are the levers.

Mini case study

Abena runs a ready-to-wear shop in Kumasi. She refunds 25 orders/month at 30,000 FCFA-equivalent on average. With no policy, each refund costs her the lost acquiring plus a GHS 1 reversal, pure loss each month. By switching to store credit by default for size changes (60 % of cases), she avoids reversal fees on 15 refunds and saves a meaningful amount monthly. Adding a disclosed 5 % restocking fee on convenience returns, she recovers part of the lost acquiring fee.

FAQ

Do I recover acquiring fees on a refund? Almost never. The provider collected them at the initial transaction and does not return them. Treat them as a definitive cost in your margin calculation.

Is store credit really cheaper than a cash refund? Yes, because it avoids reversal fees (GHS 1 or 0.5 %) and keeps revenue in your shop. Offer it first for size or color changes.

Is a restocking fee legal? It is tolerated if clearly disclosed before purchase and reasonable (5 to 10 %). A hidden or abusive fee invites disputes: state it in your terms of sale.

What refund SLA should I communicate? Announce 24 to 72 h depending on the provider. Meeting that SLA reduces disputes and chargeback requests, which cost far more than a voluntary refund.

Are these fees the same across providers? No, they are 2026 estimates for MTN Ghana and Moov Burkina. Each provider has its own reversal grid: request it in writing before setting your returns policy.

Let's talk about your project. We build a returns policy and a store-credit engine that protect your margin on every refund. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.