Demands for unofficial payments by public officials in Ghana rose sharply during the second half of 2025. The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reports that 69% of citizens experienced demands for extra payments between July and December 2025. This figure marks a significant increase from 51% in the first half of 2025.
The GSS is advocating for accelerated digitalisation of public services, greater transparency over official fees, and stronger public education. These measures aim to curb the rising trend of bribe demands. Omar Seidu, Deputy Government Statistician, highlighted that digitalisation has already shown promise in reducing bribery opportunities.
For example, the Passport Office recorded significant declines in bribery following the introduction of digital services. Making public services easier to access and clearly publishing official fees can reduce opportunities for officials to demand unofficial payments. This approach helps eliminate situations where citizens might feel compelled to pay extra for services.
The GSS also calls for intensified public education. Citizens need to know which services are free or their official costs. They must also understand how and where to report demands for additional payments. This empowers citizens to decline unofficial requests and report them through proper channels.
The findings from the GSS Governance Series prompted these recommendations. The series revealed that the proportion of citizens who actually paid a bribe also increased. This figure rose from 14.3% in the first half of 2025 to 18% in the second half of the same year.
Despite the rise in bribery experiences, Ghana's overall governance performance improved in 2025 compared with 2024. This indicates that while specific corruption issues persist, broader governance reforms may be yielding positive results.
Omar Seidu confirmed that the state has already taken steps following the GSS's presentation of these findings to the presidency. The GSS released its second-wave findings in November 2025. Subsequently, the Office of the Chief of Staff invited the GSS to present the report to government appointees and other public officials in December.
The Chief of Staff then requested that ten institutions, identified in the report as having significant exposure to bribery risks, engage with the GSS. These institutions were tasked with discussing and outlining measures to address the problem. Each institution identified specific areas prone to bribery and committed to implementing steps to reduce these risks.
Seidu noted a general commitment among the institutions to tackle the issue. This collaborative approach provides an opportunity for institutions to learn from each other's strategies. The GSS will continue to monitor these institutions to assess the effectiveness of the introduced measures.
The latest GSS survey was based on interviews with household heads conducted during the first quarter of 2026. It covered citizens' experiences between July and December 2025. The use of nationally representative households across Ghana's 16 regions allows the GSS to track changes in citizens' experiences over successive six-month periods.
Sustained government action, digitalisation, transparent service procedures, and robust public reporting mechanisms are crucial. These elements will be vital in reversing the increase in bribery demands and fostering a more transparent public service environment in Ghana.