Can I pay taxis in Ghana in cash?

My experience was that Ghana runs on cash when it comes to taxis. I stayed near Osu in Accra and even the more “professional-looking” taxis didn’t have card readers. Uber worked fine when I wanted to avoid haggling, but many drivers quietly asked if I could just pay them cash instead of using the app. For travel outside the city, there’s no choice but cash. If you’re visiting, don’t expect card payments in this part of daily life at all.

I was surprised by how cash-heavy Ghana still is. None of the taxis I took in Takoradi or Kumasi had any kind of electronic payment option. It’s just not part of how things work there. Even in Accra, unless you’re sticking to Bolt or Uber, you’ll need to pay cash. I kept a stack of 5 and 10 cedi notes handy because drivers don’t like breaking bigger bills. Cards might be fine in hotels and malls, but taxis? Always cash.

Ghana is very much a cash-based taxi culture. When I landed in Accra, I quickly realized there’s no chance of paying by card in normal cabs. The drivers expect cedis, and sometimes they refuse larger bills because change can be an issue. I recommend breaking down your money into smaller notes at banks or shops. Bolt and Uber are lifesavers in Accra, but once you go outside the capital, you won’t find them, and taxis will always be cash only.

In Ghana, taxis work almost exclusively on cash. I spent weeks in Accra and Kumasi, and I never once saw a driver with a card reader. Most rides are negotiated face-to-face, and you pay in Ghanaian cedis at the end. Uber and Bolt do operate in Accra, and there you can link your card, but even those drivers often prefer cash if you ask. If you’re relying on regular street taxis, just make sure you’ve got plenty of small notes ready.