Ghana's Collateral Registry recorded 484,059 collaterals in 2025, with banks and other financial institutions extending secured loans totaling GHS 148.3 billion.
This figure represents a substantial increase from the 382,215 collaterals registered in 2024, marking a 26.7% year-on-year growth. The total value of secured loans also more than doubled from GHS 60.9 billion in 2024, indicating a significant expansion in asset-backed financing across the economy.
This surge in registered collaterals and secured loans reflects increased economic activity and a growing reliance on credit facilities by businesses and individuals. Such trends often signal improved confidence in the financial sector and a move towards greater financial inclusion. Data from the Bank of Ghana’s (BoG) 2025 Annual Report and Financial Statements underpins these developments, offering crucial insights into Ghana’s financial landscape.
The Bank of Ghana disclosed these figures in its 2025 Annual Report and Financial Statements. Governor Dr. Johnson Asiama, in previous statements, emphasized the importance of a robust collateral system for credit extension and economic development. The Collateral Registry's role in formalizing security interests allows lenders to better assess risk, encouraging more lending.
Of the total GHS 148.3 billion in secured loans, banks alone granted GHS 94.5 billion during 2025. The Commerce and Finance sector accounted for 88.9% of these secured loans, highlighting its dominance in leveraging collateral for financing. The Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing sector followed with 4%, while the Services sector contributed 3%. Cash collateral remains the most preferred asset type for securing loans. Inventories or stock of goods, and company and business assets also served as significant forms of collateral.
The increased activity extends to search volumes, with 72,901 searches conducted in 2025, an 11.7% rise from 65,267 searches in 2024. This indicates heightened due diligence by lenders. The volume of registered collateral assets also grew by 21.7% year-on-year to 584,000 in 2025 from 479,707 in 2024. However, the Collateral Registry issued 200 Memoranda of No Objection certificates in 2025, a 33.6% decrease from 301 certificates in 2024. These certificates assist in realizing security interests when loans default.
Savings and Loans Companies dominated these activities, recording the highest volumes of registrations, searches, and discharges. In 2025, the number of registrations discharged increased by 45.3% to 105,029, even though the source material indicates 192,158 registrations were discharged in 2024. This indicates a notable increase in settled loans or release of collateral. Decision-makers and financial markets will watch these trends closely for Ghana's credit growth and economic stability. Continued growth in secured lending is vital for business expansion and job creation.