After five thrilling months of anticipation in the Telecel More Money promo, the telecommunications giant has awarded its luckiest customer, Ellen Oparebea Akoi with the grand prize of GH₵1 million.

The momentous announcement was made at the lively grand prize presentation event at the bustling Madina Market in Accra, where Ellen received her life-changing grand prize, flanked by her mother, brother and a cheering crowd.

Ellen, a band one nursing student in Accra, said she is still in disbelief about winning the staggering ultimate prize. When Ellen first received the winning call, she thought it was a scam at first.

It took the Telecel representatives visiting her nursing school to prove her grand win was real. She said the news filled her with shock, happiness, and gratitude.

“I’m still in a dream. Somebody should please wake me up. I have earned GH₵1 million.  I can’t believe my life is about to change and my family’s struggles will come to an end,” Ellen said, just before the grand prize presentation as her mother shook her head in disbelief.

Ellen’s journey to becoming a millionaire began when she opted into the Telecel More Money Promo on the first Monday in December, at a time when she had just GH₵1 of airtime.

“I remember receiving so many messages encouraging me to join the promo and I just got the feeling that morning to just try and activate it, but I never imagined I would win anything, not even the daily and weekly cash prizes.”

The Telecel More Money promo, which was initially planned to end in October, was extended to December 5, due to the overwhelming response from customers.

Over 1.5 million customers participated, with 150 winners taking home GH₵100 daily, 60 lucky winners receiving GH₵30,000 each, and one grand prize winner claiming the remarkable GH₵1 million.

Telecel Ghana rewarded customers a total of GH₵4.5 million in the five-month promo.

Aneth Muga, Acting Director of Consumer Business said the telecommunications giant launched the Telecel More Money Promo in July as part of its commitment to reward loyal and active customers.

“The Telecel More Money promo has been a huge success, and we’re thrilled to have been able to reward over 22,500 customers with daily, weekly and grand cash prizes.

"We believe that connecting energies is not just about network connectivity, it’s also about connecting opportunities, connecting ambitions, connecting dreams, and connecting livelihoods to reward, uplift, and inspire Telecel customers.”

Representatives of the National Lottery Authority – Caritas and Vasmol, who had oversight and implementing responsibility were present to share their insights on the five-month promo.

Ellen’s mother, Victoria Tieku Akoi was speechless and in disbelief throughout the grand prize presentation.

She said since the passing of her husband, the family has struggled, and this win is a major turnaround for them. “It’s a miracle, and I thank God for this opportunity.”

When asked about her plans for the GH₵1 million, Ellen expressed her intention to invest wisely to secure her nursing career and her family’s future.

She shared an encouraging message for others who doubted the promo or entered but did not win.

“I would tell them to keep participating and never give up. If you see any Telecel promo again, go for it – it’s real, and you never know, next time it could be you”

With the More Money Promo now concluded, Telecel Ghana is promising more exciting opportunities for its customers in the coming months. As the telco continues to grow and innovate, more life-changing moments are on the horizon.

For now, Ellen’s story stands as a beacon of hope and possibility. As the first Telecel millionaire, Ellen’s win is a reminder that with a little faith and a lot of participation, dreams really can come true.