A boat on the beach in Ghana

Ghana Economy

Ghana's economy in numbers:

Nominal GDP of USD 67.5 billion in 2022.

GDP per capita of USD 2,105 compared to the global average of USD 10,589.

Average real GDP growth of 4.9% over the last decade.

Share of the region's population
Share of the region's GDP

Economic structure:

In 2021, services accounted for 52% of overall GDP, manufacturing 11%, other industrial activity 17%, and agriculture 20%. Looking at GDP by expenditure, private consumption accounted for 70% of GDP in 2021, government consumption 10%, fixed investment 19%, and net exports 1%.

GDP by economic sector
GDP by type of expenditure

International trade:

In 2019, manufactured products made up 5% of total merchandise exports, mineral fuels 32%, food 22%, ores and metals 3% and agricultural raw materials 1%, with other categories accounting for 37% of the total. In the same period, manufactured products made up 75% of total merchandise imports, mineral fuels 3%, food 17%, ores and metals 1% and agricultural raw materials 4%, with other goods accounting for 0% of the total. Total exports were worth USD 17 billion in 2022, while total imports were USD 15 billion.

Key exports
Key imports
Key export partners
Key import partners

Economic growth:

The economy recorded average annual growth of 4.9% in the decade to 2022. To read more about GDP growth in Ghana, go to our dedicated page.

Fiscal policy:

Ghana's fiscal deficit averaged 8.6% of GDP in the decade to 2022. Find out more on our dedicated page.

Unemployment:

The unemployment rate averaged 4.0% in the decade to 2022. For more information on Ghana's unemployment click here.

Inflation:

Inflation averaged 13.8% in the decade to 2022. Go to our Ghana inflation page for extra insight.

Monetary Policy:

Ghana's monetary policy rate ended 2022 at 27.00%, up from 15.00% a decade earlier. See our Ghana monetary policy page for additional details.

Exchange Rate:

From end-2012 to end-2022 the cedi weakened by 81.4% vs the U.S. dollar. For more info on the cedi, click here.
Our Consensus is for annual GDP growth to have gained steam in the fourth quarter of 2023, following a slowdown in Q3. Economic activity expanded roughly 6% year on year on average in October–November (Q3: -1.3% yoy), with November’s print accelerating to a two-year high. Similarly, the PMI averaged above Q3 in Q4, and merchandise exports rebounded, growing at the fastest pace in a year. Moreover, inflation averaged its lowest level since Q2 2022 in Q4, taking pressure off purchasing power and boding well for spending in Q4 and into Q1. In response to moderating inflation, the Central Bank cut rates by 100 basis points in January, boding well for investment and household wealth, and thus spending, ahead—our Consensus is for GDP growth to pick up further in Q1. That said, the PMI fell in January, as business conditions deteriorated for the first time in a year. In politics, the president recently reshuffled his cabinet and replaced the finance minister in a bid to secure a debt-restructuring deal with creditors.
Projections out to 2033.

44 indicators covered including both annual and quarterly frequencies.

Consensus Forecasts based on a panel of 23 expert analysts.

Want to get insight on the economic outlook for Ghana in the coming years? FocusEconomics collects projections out to 2033 on 44 economic indicators for Ghana from a panel of 23 analysts at the leading national, regional and global forecast institutions. These projections are then validated by our in-house team of economists and data analysts, and averaged to provide one Consensus Forecast you can rely on for each indicator. This means you avoid the risk of relying on out of date, biased or outlier forecasts. Our Consensus Forecasts can be visualized in whichever way best suits your needs, including via interactive online dashboards , direct data delivery and executive-style reports which combine analysts' projections with timely written analysis from our in-house team of economists on the latest developments in the Ghana economy. To download a sample report on the Ghana's economy, click here . To get in touch with our team for more information, fill in the form at the bottom of this page .

Ghana Economic Data

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Population (million) 29.6 30.2 30.8 31.4 32.1
GDP (USD bn) 65.8 66.6 68.3 78.0 67.5
GDP per capita (USD) 2,225 2,208 2,220 2,484 2,105
GDP (GHS bn) 309 357 392 462 610
Economic Growth (Nominal GDP, ann. var. %) 17.4 15.5 9.9 17.8 32.2
Economic Growth (GDP, ann. var. %) 6.2 6.5 0.5 5.1 3.1
Domestic Demand (ann. var. %) 5.7 7.3 2.1 7.2 3.4
Private Consumption (ann. var. %) 3.8 14.2 1.7 6.2 4.6
Government Consumption (ann. var. %) 1.8 5.4 10.1 12.7 0.0
Fixed Investment (ann. var. %) 13.2 -10.0 1.8 5.8 0.8
Exports (G&S, ann. var. %) 6.6 12.7 -12.8 -1.2 0.2
Imports (G&S, ann. var. %) 5.0 15.9 -8.8 5.8 1.4
Industrial Production (ann. var. %) 10.5 6.4 -2.5 -0.5 0.9
Unemployment (% of active population, aop) 3.3 3.2 3.4 3.6 3.5
Fiscal Balance (% of GDP) -6.8 -7.5 -17.4 -12.0 -11.2
Public Debt (% of GDP) 62.0 58.3 72.3 79.2 92.4
Money (ann. var. of M2 %) 16.1 15.8 35.1 11.9 27.8
Inflation (CPI, ann. var. %, eop) 9.4 6.2 10.5 12.6 54.2
Inflation (CPI, ann. var. %, aop) 9.8 8.4 8.7 10.0 31.9
BoG Policy Rate (%, eop) 17.00 16.00 14.50 14.50 27.00
Exchange Rate (GHS per USD, eop) 4.86 5.70 5.87 6.18 10.20
Exchange Rate (GHS per USD, aop) 4.69 5.35 5.74 5.92 9.04
Current Account Balance (USD bn) -2.0 -1.9 -2.1 -2.5 -1.5
Current Account Balance (% of GDP) -3.1 -2.8 -3.1 -3.3 -2.2
Merchandise Trade Balance (USD bn) 1.8 2.3 2.0 1.1 2.9
Merchandise Exports (USD bn) 14.9 15.7 14.5 14.7 17.5
Merchandise Imports (USD bn) 13.1 13.4 12.4 13.6 14.6
Merchandise Exports (ann. var. %) 8.0 4.9 -7.6 1.8 18.8
Merchandise Imports (ann. var. %) 3.8 2.1 -7.3 9.7 7.3
Foreign Direct Investment (USD bn) 2.9 3.3 1.3 2.4 1.5
International Reserves (USD bn) 7.0 8.4 8.6 9.7 6.3
International Reserves (months of imports) 6.4 7.5 8.3 8.5 5.1
External Debt (USD bn) 35.6 32.6 40.6 44.7 44.8
External Debt (% of GDP) 54.1 48.9 59.5 57.4 66.4

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