Susu rules and regulations: a copy-ready template for your group
A susu group runs on trust, and trust runs better when the rules are written down before anyone is owed anything. Fill in the boxes, then copy the rules into your group chat or send them on WhatsApp.
Written 8 October 2026. The rules are our wording for a private circle of people who know each other; the ideas behind each rule are linked below.
SUSU GROUP RULES: [group name]
1. Who we are. [group name] is a private savings circle among people who know each other. It is not a bank or a licensed company, and it does not lend to or collect from the public.
2. Members. A new member is introduced by a current member and agreed by the group before the first contribution.
3. Contribution. Each member pays GH₵ [amount] every [how often], on [day], to [who holds the pot].
4. Payout. One member receives the full pot each round. The order is [payout order]. The pot is paid out on [payout day], in cash or by MoMo to the member's own number.
5. Keep paying. A member who has already been paid must keep paying until the last round. Being paid early is a loan from the others.
6. Late or missed contribution. A contribution that is late must be reported to [who holds the pot] the same day. If it is not paid by [date], [what the group agrees].
7. Leaving. A member who leaves before the end tells the group in advance and, if they have not yet been paid, receives back what they paid in. If they have been paid, they keep paying until the end or find a replacement the group accepts.
8. Records. [who holds the pot] writes every contribution and every payout in a book that any member may see at any time. Each member keeps their own card. The two must match.
9. Money held. Money is paid out as soon as the pot is complete. The person holding it does not use it for anything else, and does not hold it longer than [days].
10. Problems. The group meets to decide, and a decision needs more than half of the members. A member who repeatedly does not contribute can be removed by the same vote.
11. If you are ever asked to collect money from people who are not in this group, stop and read the Bank of Ghana rules on susu collectors first.
Agreed on [date]. Members sign below:
Money paid regularly, one member paid at a time, no interest (rules 3 and 4): this is how susu is described by Nonprofit Quarterly (read 8 Oct 2026). Each group has its own rules, members are screened before joining, and enforcement is mostly trust and reputation.
Fixed order or a draw (rule 4): in a fixed order the sequence is set before the first meeting; in a random one a lottery picks the recipient each round (Koike and others, 2018, an experiment in Japan, so it shows how rotating savings groups work in general, not Ghana practice).
Keep paying after you are paid (rule 5): the main risk of the whole system is that members who have been paid stop contributing (same study). Voting to exclude low contributors raised contributions in that study; withholding payouts did not (rule 10).
Redrawing the order: a study of Kenyan groups found that reliable members tend to choose groups where the order is redrawn each cycle, and that without some sanction these groups do not last (Anderson, Baland and Moene, 2003, summary page read).
Records open to every member (rule 8) and the penalty (rule 6): we found no source for a typical fine or for absentee rules, so we suggest no amount. Your group decides.
This is for a private circle. If one person collects money from the general public and returns it for a fee, that is the activity the Bank of Ghana regulates. See the licensing page. We give no legal advice.
For the paper record, print the susu collector book, which has a daily page and a monthly card for each member. To send each member a WhatsApp receipt after every payment, use the free susu card. To compare apps with a book, read susu app in Ghana.
Free notebook for your money. No password, no MoMo PIN, no Ghana Card.
Questions people ask
Susu rules and regulations: what should be in them?
The amount and the day, who holds the pot, the order of payout, what happens to a late or missed contribution, what happens if someone leaves, an open record, and how the group decides. The eleven rules above cover each.
Is there a susu rules and regulations PDF?
Fill in the boxes above, then print this page and save it as a PDF, or send the text on WhatsApp. We did not find an official standard document for private groups.
What are the rules for a susu group?
Each group makes its own (Nonprofit Quarterly). They usually fix the amount, the schedule and the payout order, and rely on trust and reputation to enforce them.
What should the penalty for a missed contribution be?
That is for your group to agree: we found no sourced typical amount and do not suggest one. Write the amount before anyone is late, not after.
Does a private susu group need a licence?
We did not find an official source that answers this for private circles of friends. The Bank of Ghana regulates susu collection from the general public (see the licensing page). If your group is more than people who know each other, ask the Bank.
Written 8 October 2026. Every fact is linked where it is used, with the date it was read. General information, not legal or financial advice. Questions: message us on WhatsApp.