Ghana's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 6 percent in 2025. This marks an improvement from the 5.8 percent growth recorded in 2024. Inflation also significantly declined, falling from 23.8 percent in 2024 to 5.8 percent in 2025, and further to 3.4 percent by April 2026.
These positive economic indicators coincided with a more than 40 percent appreciation of the Ghana cedi against the US dollar in 2025. This relative stability has continued into 2026. The Business & Financial Times (B&FT) is currently hosting The Money Summit 2026 (TMS26) in Accra to discuss how to convert this stabilisation into lasting, widespread economic growth.
This economic turnaround comes after Ghana successfully completed its three-year US$3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Credit Facility. The country has now transitioned to a new 36-month Policy Coordination Instrument. This transition is seen as Ghana’s return to managing its own finances after a difficult economic period. The improved economic data suggests a stronger underlying financial environment for the country.
Matilda Asante-Asiedu, Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), delivered the keynote address at TMS26. The summit is exploring critical questions, including the future of financing backed by commodities, how to gather long-term investment capital, and how to improve financial access through rural banks. The discussions also highlight the Ghana Stock Exchange’s strong performance, with the Composite Index surging nearly 49 percent in the first quarter of 2026.
A key focus of the summit is the emergence of commodity-backed financing, especially the role of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod). The Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140), established GoldBod to build a gold-backed reserve. Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has described this as creating an “economic war chest” to protect Ghana from global price shocks and market instability.
In 2025, GoldBod generated approximately US$10 billion in foreign exchange, at a cost of US$214 million. This cost was significantly lower than previous borrowing methods that led to Ghana's debt challenges in 2022. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is working with GoldBod to pilot gold-backed securities and tokenised gold assets. This initiative positions Ghana at the forefront of financial innovation using commodities on the African continent.
Another significant discussion point is the underdeveloped state of Ghana’s long-term capital markets. The country often relies on short-term financing. The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) has shown remarkable momentum, with a 79.43 percent annual return in 2025. Market capitalisation on the exchanged currently stands at GHS 262.9 billion. The summit aims to determine if this growth signifies a fundamental strengthening of capital markets or merely a temporary rally. Addressing this issue is crucial for sustained economic development. Enhanced financial inclusion through rural banking is also critical for ensuring broad-based growth.