If you have used the same Mobile Money PIN since the day you opened your wallet, or if your PIN is your birth year, this guide is for you. Changing your PIN takes a couple of minutes. Setting up a recovery number takes a couple more, and it means that if you ever forget your PIN, you can reset it yourself instead of queuing at a service centre.

The steps below are for MTN MoMo, based on MTN Ghana’s own help centre. If you use Telecel Cash or AT Money, the idea is the same: look for the PIN option in your wallet menu or app, or ask your provider’s customer care.

Step 1: Add a recovery number first

MTN recommends adding a recovery number before you need it. This is a second phone number, ideally one belonging to someone you trust or a second line of your own, that can receive a temporary password if you forget your PIN.

According to MTN’s help centre, you set it up from the PIN menu: dial *170#, go to My Wallet, then Change & Reset PIN, choose the Self PIN reset option and select the option to add a recovery number. You confirm it by entering your current PIN.

Menu numbers can change when MTN updates the *170# menu. If an option number is different on your phone, follow the names: My Wallet → Change & Reset PIN → Self PIN reset.

Step 2: Change your PIN

Using the MoMo app

  1. Open the MoMo or MyMTN app and sign in to Mobile Money with your PIN.
  2. Go to My Wallet.
  3. Choose Change PIN.
  4. Enter your current PIN, then your new PIN, and confirm it.

Using *170#

  1. Dial *170#.
  2. Choose My Wallet.
  3. Choose Change & Reset PIN and follow the prompts to change your PIN.

If you have forgotten your PIN

This is where the recovery number pays off. MTN’s help centre describes a self-service reset: from the same Change & Reset PIN menu, you choose the PIN reset option, a temporary password is sent to your recovery number, and you use it to set a new PIN. No queue, no form.

If you never set a recovery number, you will need to contact MTN customer care or visit a service centre with your Ghana Card so they can confirm it is really you.

How to choose a PIN nobody can guess

Thieves do not usually “hack” a PIN. They guess it, watch you type it, or trick you into telling them. Make the first two hard:

  • Avoid your birth year or birthday. It is the first thing a thief tries, and it is often on your Ghana Card, which might be stolen with your phone.
  • Avoid patterns like 1234, 0000, 1111 or 2580 (straight down the keypad).
  • Avoid numbers linked to you: your house number, car number plate or the last digits of your phone number.
  • Use a different PIN from your phone lock screen and your bank card.
  • Cover the keypad when you type your PIN in public, especially at busy agent points.
Your birthday is not a PIN, chale. It is the first thing a thief will try.

When to change your PIN straight away

  • You told your PIN to anyone, even someone you trust.
  • You typed it while someone could see your screen.
  • Your phone was lost, stolen or repaired by someone else.
  • You received a strange call or message asking about your wallet.
  • You notice a transaction you do not recognise. (Report it to MTN at the same time.)

Keep your wallet safe beyond the PIN

  • Lock your phone with a PIN, pattern or fingerprint, so a stolen phone is not an open wallet.
  • Never share the one-time codes that come by SMS.
  • Turn on transaction alerts and read them.
  • If you suspect fraud, report it immediately through the fraud option in *170# or MTN’s fraud team email.

This guide was checked in October 2026. Menus and services change, so if something looks different on your phone, check with your provider.

Common questions

How often should I change my MoMo PIN?

There is no fixed rule, but change it straight away if anyone may have seen it or you shared it, and consider changing it every few months as a habit, especially if you pay at busy agent points.

Can MTN staff tell me my PIN if I forget it?

No. Staff cannot see your PIN. If you forget it, you reset it, either yourself with a recovery number or with help from customer care after confirming your identity.

Who should I choose as my recovery number?

A number you control or a person you trust completely, such as your own second SIM or a close family member. The temporary password for a reset goes to that number.

What happens if I enter the wrong PIN several times?

For security, wallets can be temporarily locked after repeated wrong attempts. If that happens, use the reset option or contact customer care rather than guessing.

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