Afrimoney and Orange Money Charges in Sierra Leone 2026: Cash-Out Fees and GST

Afrimoney charges nothing to send money to another Afrimoney user in Sierra Leone, for any amount from NLe 1 to NLe 15,000. Cashing out costs from NLe 0.52 to NLe 172.50, including 15% GST, according to Africell's Afrimoney tariff. Withdrawing NLe 1,000 costs NLe 23. Orange Money's cash-out pricing is less clear. Its website still lists tiered fees (NLe 28.10 for NLe 1,000–1,999), but Orange announced a flat 1% cash-out fee in November 2024, which would make NLe 1,000 cost NLe 10. Checked in October 2026; all amounts in new leones (NLe).

Afrimoney and Orange Money charges at a glance

Remember: if an old price list or a person quotes amounts in the tens of thousands, they're probably using old leones. Divide by 1,000 to get new leones; see our old leones to new leones conversion table.

Afrimoney charges in Sierra Leone (2026)

Sending money on Afrimoney

Sending money to another Afrimoney subscriber is free for every band on Africell's tariff: NLe 1–100, NLe 100.01–500, NLe 500.01–3,000 and NLe 3,000.01–15,000. Cash-in at an agent is free too.

You can also send to someone who isn't registered. They receive an SMS with a code and collect the cash from an Afrimoney agent with their ID. Dial *161#, choose 1 to transfer money, then 2 for "Transfer to Unregistered".

Afrimoney cash-out charges

Cash-out is where Afrimoney makes its money. Africell lists the service charge and the 15% GST separately:

Africell's published table skips from NLe 99.99 to NLe 150, so it doesn't show the fee for NLe 100–149.99. Check the confirmation screen for amounts in that range.

Watch the band edges. Cashing out NLe 999 costs NLe 16.10, but NLe 1,000 costs NLe 23.00. Cashing out NLe 3,999 costs NLe 57.50, but NLe 4,000 costs NLe 97.75. That NLe 1 difference costs you NLe 40.25.

Afrimoney limits

• Minimum send: NLe 1
• Daily transaction limit: NLe 15,000
• Monthly transaction limit: NLe 100,000

Orange Money charges in Sierra Leone

Orange Money send charges (published table)

Orange's Orange Money tariff page lists these fees for sending to a registered Orange Money customer:

Sending to someone who isn't registered with Orange Money costs more (NLe 0.50 to NLe 165, depending on the amount), and they pay a separate fee of NLe 1 to NLe 20 to collect the cash.

Orange Money cash-out: published fees vs the 1% announcement

This is where it gets confusing. Orange's tariff page still lists these cash-out fees for registered customers:

But on 1 November 2024, Orange Money announced it had cut its cash-out fee to a flat 1%, "effective immediately", as reported at the time. The example given: cashing out NLe 1,000 had cost about NLe 30 and would now cost NLe 10. The Calabash Newspaper reported the same 1% rate.

Orange's website table hasn't been updated to show a 1% rate, and we couldn't confirm in October 2026 whether 1% still applies to every amount. Before you cash out a large sum, look at the fee on the confirmation screen after dialling #144#. If you're charged the old tiered fee rather than 1%, ask Orange customer care why.

Is Afrimoney or Orange Money cheaper in Sierra Leone?

• Sending money: Afrimoney, clearly. It's free; Orange charges up to NLe 8.70.
• Cashing out: it depends on which Orange fee actually applies. If Orange's 1% rate holds, Orange is cheaper to cash out at almost every amount (NLe 10 against NLe 23 at NLe 1,000). If the published table applies, the two swap places band by band: Afrimoney is cheaper from NLe 600 to NLe 2,999, and Orange at most other amounts. Orange's table also doesn't say whether its figures include GST, while Afrimoney's do.

What sending cash really costs. Say you send NLe 1,000 to your brother in Bo and he cashes it out. On Afrimoney, the send is free and the cash-out costs NLe 23: NLe 23 in total. On Orange Money, the send costs NLe 4.35, plus NLe 10 to cash out at 1%, or NLe 28.10 at the published rate.

How to pay less

1. Keep money in the wallet when you can. Afrimoney charges nothing to send, so paying people wallet to wallet costs nothing. You only pay when someone takes cash out.
2. Watch the cash-out bands. On Afrimoney, NLe 999 costs NLe 16.10 and NLe 1,000 costs NLe 23. Leaving NLe 1 in the wallet saves NLe 6.90.
3. Cash out once, not in pieces. Two Afrimoney cash-outs of NLe 1,000 cost NLe 46. One of NLe 2,000 costs NLe 40.25.
4. Get people onto the same network. Sending to unregistered people costs more on Orange and adds a collection fee.
5. Read the confirmation screen. Both services show the fee before you enter your PIN.

What to watch out for

• Old-leone price lists. Tariff posters and screenshots from before July 2022 show fees in the thousands. Divide by 1,000.
• GST on fees. Afrimoney's totals include 15% GST on the service charge, not on the amount you cash out.
• Agents asking for extra. The fee shown on your phone is the fee. An agent asking for something on top is charging you twice.
• Reversal and PIN scams. No Africell or Orange staff will ever ask for your PIN. If someone says they sent you money by mistake, check your balance in the menu before sending anything back.

If relatives abroad send you money, compare remittance apps on the total cost and whether they pay straight into Orange Money or Afrimoney; our guide to the cheapest ways to send money to Africa shows how. For how mobile money is priced elsewhere, see M-Pesa and EcoCash charges in Lesotho or Orange Money and MyZaka charges in Botswana. In Cameroon, both networks charge no transfer fee of their own, only a 0.2% tax (MTN MoMo and Orange Money charges in Cameroon). More Sierra Leone guides are on our Sierra Leone page. For live UK and US quotes, see sending money to Sierra Leone.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Afrimoney charge to send money?

Nothing. Sending money to another Afrimoney subscriber is free for every amount from NLe 1 to NLe 15,000, according to Africell's tariff.

What is the Afrimoney cash-out charge for NLe 1,000?

NLe 23.00: a NLe 20 service charge plus NLe 3 GST. Cashing out NLe 999 costs NLe 16.10, so watch the band edge.

What are Orange Money cash-out charges in Sierra Leone?

Orange announced a flat 1% cash-out fee in November 2024, so NLe 1,000 should cost NLe 10. Its website still shows an older tiered table, with NLe 28.10 for NLe 1,000–NLe 1,999. Check the fee on your confirmation screen.

Is GST charged on mobile money in Sierra Leone?

Yes, on the fee, not on the amount. Afrimoney adds 15% GST to its cash-out service charge, so a NLe 20 charge becomes NLe 23.

What is the maximum I can send with Afrimoney?

NLe 15,000 a day and NLe 100,000 a month. The minimum send is NLe 1.

What is the Afrimoney code?

Dial *161# to register for Afrimoney or use it. Orange Money uses #144#.