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Mali orders fintech firm Wave to pass 1% mobile money tax to users

Mobile money instant payment in Africa. Photo by Olumide Bamgbelu @ Unsplash
Mobile money instant payment in Africa. Photo by Olumide Bamgbelu @ Unsplash
  • Mali forces Wave to clearly pass 1% withdrawal tax to users
  • Experts warn move may hurt financial inclusion momentum

 

BAMAKO, Mali – Mali’s trade regulator has ordered fintech firm Wave SA to explicitly charge a 1% government tax on mobile money withdrawals to customers, a decision that could reshape competition and test financial inclusion gains.

Since February 2025, Mali has imposed a 1% tax on mobile money withdrawals across the sector. While the levy legally applies to all operators, the Directorate General of Trade, Consumer Affairs and Competition (DGCC) ruled after months of investigation that Wave must directly and transparently pass the tax on to users.

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