Airtel Money is one of the most widely used mobile wallets in Zambia. Whether you are sending money to family, paying bills, or withdrawing cash from an agent, each transaction carries a fee - plus a government levy on person-to-person sends.
This guide lists every Airtel Money fee in effect for 2026, including the mobile money transaction levy originally introduced by the Mobile Money Transaction Levy Act, 2024 and revised upward by the Mobile Money Transaction Levy (Amendment) Act, 2025. Use our mobile money fees calculator to check the exact cost for any amount instantly.
The government mobile money levy
The government first introduced a mobile money levy in January 2025 under Act No. 25 of 2024. The 2025 Amendment doubled the rates effective 1 January 2026. The levy applies to person-to-person transfers across all providers - Airtel, MTN, Zamtel, and ZedMobile. It is charged on top of the provider fee, and it is not charged on withdrawals.
Transaction Amount | Levy |
|---|---|
K0 - K150 | K0.32 |
K150.01 - K300 | K0.40 |
K300.01 - K500 | K0.80 |
K500.01 - K1,000 | K2.00 |
K1,000.01 - K3,000 | K4.00 |
K3,000.01 - K5,000 | K7.50 |
K5,000.01 - K10,000 | K8.00 |
Tip: The levy is a fixed amount per band, not a percentage. Sending K5,001 costs the same K8 levy as sending K10,000.
Airtel-to-Airtel transfer fees
Sending money to another registered Airtel Money user is the cheapest transaction type. These are Airtel's own service fees - the government levy above is added on top.
Amount Range | Airtel Fee | + Levy | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
K0 - K150 | K0.42 | K0.32 | K0.74 |
K150.01 - K300 | K0.90 | K0.40 | K1.30 |
K300.01 - K500 | K0.80 | K0.80 | K1.60 |
K500.01 - K1,000 | K1.00 | K2.00 | K3.00 |
K1,000.01 - K3,000 | K2.00 | K4.00 | K6.00 |
K3,000.01 - K5,000 | K3.00 | K7.50 | K10.50 |
K5,000.01 - K10,000 | K4.00 | K8.00 | K12.00 |
At higher amounts, the government levy actually costs more than Airtel's own fee. For a K5,000 transfer, K7.50 goes to the government and only K3 to Airtel.
Cross-network transfer fees
Sending from Airtel Money to MTN MoMo or Zamtel Kwacha costs significantly more than same-network transfers. This is common across all providers.
Amount Range | Airtel Fee | + Levy | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
K0 - K150 | K2.50 | K0.32 | K2.82 |
K150.01 - K300 | K5.00 | K0.40 | K5.40 |
K300.01 - K500 | K10.00 | K0.80 | K10.80 |
K500.01 - K1,000 | K14.50 | K2.00 | K16.50 |
K1,000.01 - K3,000 | K19.20 | K4.00 | K23.20 |
K3,000.01 - K5,000 | K29.00 | K7.50 | K36.50 |
K5,000.01 - K10,000 | K48.50 | K8.00 | K56.50 |
Cost-saving tip: If the person you are sending to has accounts on multiple networks, ask them to receive on Airtel. A K5,000 same-network transfer costs K10.50 total versus K36.50 cross-network - you save K26.
Airtel Money to bank transfer fees
Moving money from your Airtel wallet to a bank account (wallet-to-bank) has its own fee schedule. These are useful for paying rent, loan instalments, or moving larger sums to your savings account. Bank transfers are not subject to the government levy - the Act only covers person-to-person transfers.
Amount Range | Airtel Fee |
|---|---|
K0 - K150 | K2.50 |
K150.01 - K300 | K3.50 |
K300.01 - K500 | K5.00 |
K500.01 - K1,000 | K15.00 |
K1,000.01 - K3,000 | K20.00 |
K3,000.01 - K5,000 | K30.00 |
K5,000.01 - K10,000 | K50.00 |
Airtel Money withdrawal fees
Withdrawing cash from an Airtel Money agent is not subject to the government levy - you only pay Airtel's service fee.
Amount Range | Withdrawal Fee |
|---|---|
K0 - K150 | K2.50 |
K150.01 - K300 | K5.00 |
K300.01 - K500 | K10.00 |
K500.01 - K1,000 | K20.00 |
K1,000.01 - K3,000 | K35.00 |
K3,000.01 - K5,000 | K55.00 |
K5,000.01 - K10,000 | K60.00 |
Worked example - sending K1,500 to another Airtel user
Let us walk through a real transaction to see the full cost breakdown:
Amount: K1,500
Airtel fee: K2.00 (band K1,000.01 - K3,000)
Govt levy: K4.00 (band K1,000.01 - K3,000)
Total cost: K6.00
Recipient gets: K1,500The recipient always receives the full amount. Fees and levy are charged to the sender on top of the transaction value.
How to reduce your Airtel Money fees
Send same-network: Airtel-to-Airtel fees are a fraction of cross-network fees. If the recipient has both Airtel and MTN, ask them to receive on Airtel.
Send larger amounts less often: The fee bands are fixed, not percentage-based. Two K500 sends cost K1.60 each (K3.20 total), but one K1,000 send costs K3.00 - you save K0.20 and a trip.
Use bank transfer for big amounts: For amounts above K5,000, the wallet-to-bank fee (K50) is actually cheaper than cross-network (K48.50 + K8 levy = K56.50) because bank transfers carry no government levy.
How do Airtel Money fees compare to MTN MoMo?
Airtel and MTN charge identical same-network fees for most bands, but their cross-network and withdrawal fees differ. For a detailed comparison, see our MTN MoMo fees guide. You can also compare both side-by-side using the mobile money calculator.
Transaction (K1,000) | Airtel Money | MTN MoMo |
|---|---|---|
Same-network send | K1.00 + K2 levy = K3.00 | K1.00 + K2 levy = K3.00 |
Cross-network send | K14.50 + K2 levy = K16.50 | K15.00 + K2 levy = K17.00 |
Withdrawal | K20.00 | K20.00 |
Bank transfer | K15.00 (no levy) | K15.00 (no levy) |
At K1,000, Airtel is marginally cheaper on cross-network sends (K16.50 vs K17.00). The difference grows at higher amounts.
Frequently asked questions
Is the mobile money levy charged on withdrawals?
No. The government levy only applies to person-to-person transfers - same-network and cross-network sends. Neither bank transfers nor cash withdrawals attract the levy.
What is the maximum I can send on Airtel Money?
Airtel Money's published fee schedule covers transactions up to K10,000 per transaction. Daily and monthly limits depend on your account verification level - check with Airtel for your specific tier.
Who pays the fee - the sender or the receiver?
The sender always pays both the Airtel service fee and the government levy. The recipient receives the full amount you specify.
See also: MTN MoMo fees in Zambia (2026).