By: Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
MTN Ghana has announced a temporary interruption to some of its services early in the new year as it prepares its systems to comply with changes to Ghana’s national tax policy.
In a public notice to customers, the telecommunications company said it has scheduled a system maintenance on January 2, 2026, from 12:00am to 4:00am, specifically to align its platforms with new VAT reform tariffs.
MTN Ghana cautioned that airtime and data bundle purchases will not be possible during the four-hour maintenance period, as all recharge and data purchase channels will be temporarily suspended. The planned downtime is expected to affect customers who rely on late-night or early-morning top-ups.
The company did not indicate whether other services, including voice calls, mobile money transactions, or internet access on already active data bundles, will be affected during the maintenance window.
MTN Ghana apologised for the inconvenience, stating, “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding,” and concluded the announcement with its signature tagline, “everywhere you go.”
The system update follows the Ghana Revenue Authority’s announcement of major tax reforms effective January 1, which include a reduction in the VAT rate, the abolition of the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, and the scrapping of the VAT flat rate scheme. These measures are expected to influence pricing and billing structures across several sectors, including telecommunications.
According to MTN Ghana, the maintenance exercise is a proactive step to ensure its billing and sales systems remain fully compliant and functional under the revised VAT regime.
Customers have therefore been advised to purchase any required airtime or data bundles before midnight on January 2 to avoid disruption during the scheduled maintenance period.
