ECG Prepaid Guide Ghana (2026): Buy Credit, MoMo, Tokens, Balance Check, Tariffs & Troubleshooting

Who this guide is for

This page is a field reference for researchers, tenants, landlords, support agents, and anyone who needs accurate, step-by-step instructions for Ghana ECG prepaid electricity — not generic marketing copy. It covers how to buy credit, recharge your meter, check balance, find your meter number, understand tariffs, buy for someone else, and fix the most common token and meter problems.

Last updated: August 2026. ECG vending channels, PURC-approved tariffs, and USSD menus can change. Confirm current rates on your token receipt breakdown or via PURC Ghana / ECG customer care (0302-611611) if figures differ from what you see on purchase day.

How ECG prepaid works in Ghana

ECG (Electricity Company of Ghana) prepaid customers pay before consuming electricity. You purchase credit in Ghana cedis (GHS); the vending system generates a 20-digit STS token (standard transfer specification — used on most prepaid meters worldwide). You enter that token on the meter keypad. The meter converts your GHS payment into kWh (kilowatt-hours) of electricity credit, minus statutory charges (levies, service charges, VAT/NHIL where applicable).

Your meter stores credit locally. When credit reaches zero, the meter disconnects supply until you buy and enter a new token. This is different from postpaid billing, where ECG bills you monthly after consumption.

ECG prepaid meter codes & payment channels

“ECG prepaid meter codes” usually means the USSD shortcodes, apps, and vending paths used to buy electricity credit — not a code printed on the meter itself (except your meter number).

Research note: Not every vending station can serve every meter brand — ECG assigns meters to vending systems. If one channel rejects your meter number, try another authorized channel or contact your district office. Ewale *714*22# supports the majority of active STS prepaid meters in Ghana.

How to buy ECG prepaid credit

You need three things: your meter number, a payment method (MoMo, card, or cash at a vendor), and the amount in GHS you want to buy. Minimum on Ewale is GH₵1.

Method 1 — Ewale USSD (fastest for most users)

1. Dial *714*22# from any Ghana mobile number.
2. Select Utilities (or the menu number shown for utilities).
3. Choose ECG Power → Prepaid.
4. Enter your 11- or 13-digit meter number (see meter number section below).
5. Confirm the account name shown on screen matches your premises.
6. Enter amount in GHS and approve with your Mobile Money PIN.
7. Receive a 20-digit token by SMS — usually within 10–60 seconds.
8. Enter the token on your meter keypad. Power restores if credit was zero.

Method 2 — ECG official USSD *226#

1. Dial *226#.
2. Follow prompts for Buy Prepaid or Prepaid Top-up.
3. Enter meter number and amount; pay via linked MoMo or menu payment option.
4. Token delivered by SMS. Peak-hour delays on *226# are commonly reported — allow 5–15 minutes before retrying.

Method 3 — Physical vending station

Visit an ECG district office or authorized vendor with your meter number. Pay cash; receive a printed receipt with the 20-digit token. Useful when MoMo is unavailable or the meter number fails online validation.

How to buy ECG prepaid online

“Online” in Ghana usually means either (a) a web checkout on smartphone, or (b) USSD, which does not use mobile data but is still a remote/digital purchase. Both count as buying prepaid without visiting an ECG office.

• No internet (USSD): *714*22# or *226# — works on feature phones.
• With internet (app): ECG Power App — register, save meter, pay with MoMo/card.
• With internet (web): Ewale utility checkout — select ECG Prepaid, enter meter, pay.
• Bank online: Some Ghana banks list ECG under bill payment — meter number required.

For midnight outages when data is also unavailable, USSD is the most reliable “online” path. See also: How to buy ECG prepaid online (detailed comparison).

How to buy ECG prepaid with Mobile Money

All three major MoMo wallets — MTN Mobile Money, Telecel Cash, and AT Money — can pay for ECG prepaid through authorized vending platforms.

MoMo troubleshooting: “Insufficient balance” means your wallet cannot cover purchase + fees. “Transaction failed” after PIN entry may be a timeout — check MoMo statement before paying again to avoid double purchase.

How to recharge an ECG prepaid meter (enter your token)

Buying credit and recharging the meter are two steps. Payment generates the token; recharge happens when you load the token into the meter.

1. Locate the meter keypad (on the meter face or a separate customer interface unit / CIU for split meters).
2. Press the meter’s enter key (often blue or labeled Enter / # — varies by brand: Hexing, Conlog, Actaris, Holley).
3. Type the full 20-digit token from your SMS or receipt — no spaces.
4. Press Enter / confirm. The display should show Accept, Token OK, or updated credit/units.
5. If supply was off due to zero credit, power should restore within seconds.

Split-meter setups: Some installations have the meter on a pole and a portable CIU in the home. Tokens are entered on the CIU, which communicates with the meter by power-line carrier or radio — not on the pole meter itself.

How to get an ECG prepaid token

A prepaid token is generated automatically when a successful vending transaction completes. You receive it by:

• SMS to the phone number used during purchase (most USSD and app flows).
• Printed receipt at a physical vending station.
• App notification / history in ECG Power App (if registered).
• Ewale transaction history via *714*22# support menu if SMS is delayed.

The token is a one-time 20-digit number tied to your meter’s STS key. It cannot be reused. Store SMS receipts until the token is accepted.

ECG prepaid meter number — how to find it

Your meter number (also called meter ID or customer meter number) identifies your installation in ECG’s vending system. Wrong number = failed payment or credit sent to the wrong account.

Where to look

• Meter label / sticker on the front panel — primary source.
• Last token SMS or receipt — often repeats meter number.
• ECG installation paperwork from when the meter was mounted.
• Landlord or previous tenant if you are new to the premises.
• ECG district office with address and ID — call 0302-611611.

Common formats in Ghana

Enter digits exactly as printed — no spaces or dashes. On Ewale, the lookup step shows the registered account name; always verify before paying. More detail: ECG meter number guide.

How to check ECG prepaid balance / meter balance

“Balance” on prepaid can mean remaining credit in GHS, remaining kWh units, or debt/arrears deducted from your next purchase. Check all three contexts when troubleshooting fast consumption.

On the meter (most reliable, no code needed)

• Most prepaid LCDs cycle through screens showing credit balance, consumption, and power status.
• Press the scroll / display button (if available) to move between screens.
• Common display labels: Credit, kWh, Remaining.
• If credit shows 0.00 and relay is off, you need a new token — balance check confirms outage cause.

Via USSD / digital channels

• Ewale: *714*22# → Utilities → ECG Prepaid → Check Balance (enter meter number).
• ECG Power App: saved meter dashboard shows last known status (requires data).
• ECG *226#: balance inquiry options when available in current menu version.

Research note: USSD balance queries depend on ECG’s live API to your meter vending account. If USSD is down, the physical meter display remains authoritative for remaining credit.

How to buy ECG credit for someone else

You do not need to be the account holder. You need the correct meter number (and ideally the account name confirmation shown at payment).

1. Dial *714*22# from your phone (your MoMo pays).
2. Select ECG Prepaid and enter their meter number — not your phone number.
3. Verify the customer name matches their premises.
4. Pay with your MoMo PIN. Token SMS arrives on your phone.
5. Forward the 20-digit token to the recipient by SMS/WhatsApp, or enter it yourself if you are on site.

Common use cases: children topping up parents’ meters, agents buying for tenants, diaspora Ghanaians sending credit via MoMo wallets linked to local numbers.

ECG prepaid tariff, prices & electricity rates in Ghana

ECG prepaid prices are not a flat “GH₵X per kWh” sticker — they follow PURC-approved tariff blocks plus statutory levies. Your effective rate depends on:

• Customer class: residential vs non-residential vs special load tariff (SLT).
• Consumption block: lifeline (first block) vs higher blocks — marginal kWh cost increases as monthly consumption rises.
• Statutory charges: NHIL, GETFund, street lighting, national electrification levy, VAT — itemized on token receipt.
• Service / fixed charges: monthly service charge may be deducted from prepaid purchases until satisfied.
• Outstanding debt: if prior postpaid debt was migrated to the meter, a percentage of each purchase pays debt before adding units.

How to read your effective rate (without relying on stale web tables)

1. Buy any small amount (e.g. GH₵20) and save the full SMS receipt.
2. Receipt shows: Energy (kWh), Energy charge, levies, service charge, VAT, total.
3. Divide energy charge by kWh for approximate energy-only rate on that purchase date.
4. Compare purchases across months — crossing into a higher block increases apparent “price per kWh.”

Official tariff publications: PURC Ghana and ECG tariff notices. Rates change when PURC approves new multi-year tariffs — always treat your vending receipt as the ground truth for “how much electricity did my money buy today?”

ECG prepaid token not working / token rejected

These are the most reported prepaid problems in Ghana field support. Symptom: meter displays Reject, Used, Old, Invalid, or beeps without adding credit.

ECG prepaid error codes (vending & payment)

Error messages during purchase (USSD/app) differ from meter Reject messages during token entry. Common vending errors:

• Invalid meter number — wrong digits, unsupported meter on that channel, or meter not registered in vending system. Verify label; try alternate channel.
• Meter not found — new installation not yet activated for remote vending. Visit district office.
• Insufficient MoMo balance — top up wallet including platform fee buffer.
• Transaction timeout / session expired — redial and complete within USSD time limit (~60–120 seconds per step).
• Duplicate transaction — MoMo debited once; do not pay again until confirming whether token was issued.
• Account name mismatch — user entered wrong meter; cancel before PIN if name does not match premises.

What to do when an ECG prepaid token fails — decision flow

1. Confirm MoMo debit — if not debited, safe to retry on *714*22#.
2. If debited, no token after 15 minutes — contact vending support with transaction ID; do not buy again blindly.
3. If token received, meter rejects — re-enter once carefully; then check for “Used” (already accepted).
4. If still rejected — photograph meter number + error screen; visit ECG district prepayment desk with SMS receipt.
5. If tamper or fault code on meter — only ECG authorized staff may reset; DIY bypass is illegal.

ECG prepaid meter problems (hardware & supply)

From ECG’s published customer guidance and common field reports:

• Credit on meter but no power — internal trip from over/under-voltage; check amber “power off” indicator; reset main breaker after voltage stabilizes.
• Consuming faster after meter swap — old credit meter may have under-recorded; new prepay is accurate — review appliance load.
• Remote / CIU not responding — register fault at district prepayment section.
• Wrong vending station — not all vendors serve all meter brands; district office can confirm approved points.
• Illegal connection nearby — unmetered supply does not affect your token but may cause supply instability; report to ECG.

Extended FAQ: ECG FAQ on Ewale (prepayment, meters, disconnection, safety).

Buy ECG prepaid on Ewale — web flow summary

On smartphone, open Ewale Utilities, select ECG Power, enter meter number, verify account holder, enter amount, complete MoMo OTP checkout. Token SMS mirrors USSD delivery.

Research FAQ — search query index

Related guides

• How to buy ECG prepaid online — channel comparison
• ECG token not received — fix guide
• ECG meter number guide
• Every ECG USSD code explained
• *226# vs *714*22# comparison
• Pay ECG with MTN MoMo
• Ghana data bundles guide
• Ghana airtime top-up guide
• ECG FAQ
• Pay ECG now on Ewale

Summary

ECG prepaid in Ghana is a two-step process: buy credit (get a 20-digit token via *714*22#, *226#, app, or vendor) then recharge (enter token on meter). Check balance on the meter display or via Ewale USSD. Tariffs follow PURC blocks — your receipt shows exact kWh purchased. When tokens fail, distinguish payment errors from meter Reject codes before paying again.

Need help? Dial *714*22# → Contact Us, or ECG on 0302-611611.