Economy of Ghana

Template:Infobox economy The economy of Ghana has a diverse and rich resource base, including the manufacturing and export of digital technology goods, automotive and ship construction and export, and the export of resources such as hydrocarbons and industrial minerals.

The Ghanaian domestic economy in 2012 revolved around services, which accounted for 50% of GDP and employed 28% of the work force. Besides the industrialization associated with minerals and oil, industrial development in Ghana remains basic, often associated with plastics (such as chairs, plastic bags, razors, and pens).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 53.6% of Ghana's workforce were employed in agriculture in 2013.<ref name="Food and Agriculture Policy Decision Analysis: Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="cs">Clark, Nancy L. "Agriculture" (and subchapters). A Country Study: Ghana (La Verle Berry, editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (November 1994). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.[1]</ref>Template:Outdated statistic

Ghana embarked on a currency re-denomination exercise from the Cedi (₵) to the new currency, Ghana Cedi (GH₵) in July 2007. The transfer rate is 1 Ghana Cedi for every 10,000 Cedis.

Ghana became the largest gold-producing country in Africa after overtaking South Africa in 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The country is also the second-largest cocoa producer (after Ivory Coast).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ghana is rich in diamonds, manganese or manganese ore, bauxite, and oil. Most of its debt was cancelled in 2005, but government spending was later allowed to balloon. Coupled with a plunge in oil prices, this led to an economic crisis that forced the government to negotiate a $920 million extended credit facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in April 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Taxation

Value-added tax is a consumption tax administered in Ghana. The tax regime that started in 1998 had a single rate but since September 2007 entered into a multiple rate regime. In 1998, the rate of tax was 10% and amended in 2000 to 12.5%. The top income tax and corporate tax rates are 25%. Other taxes included with value-added tax (VAT), are the national health insurance levy, and a capital gains tax. The overall tax burden was 12.1% of Ghana's total domestic income in 2013. Ghana's national budget was the equivalent of 39.8% of GDP in 2013.<ref name="heritage" /> Ghana is implementing the rent tax in 2021.

Manufacturing

Ghana's industrial base is relatively advanced. Import-substitution industries include electronics manufacturing. Rlg Communications is the first indigenous African company to assemble laptops, desktops, and mobile phones, and is West Africa's biggest information and communications technology (ICT) and mobile phone manufacturing company.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Ghana began its automotive industry with the construction of a prototype robust SUV, named the SMATI Turtle 1, intended for use in the rough African terrain. It was designed and manufactured by the Artisans of Suame Magazine Industrial Development Organization. Urban electric cars have been manufactured in Ghana since 2014.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

As of 2012 there were four major companies in the textiles sector: Akosombo Textiles Limited, Tex Style Ghana Limited, Printex Ghana, and Ghana Textile Manufacturing Company.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and Ghana Oil Company deal with crude oil and gas exploration, exploitation, and refining.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Telecommunications

Template:Main At the end of January 2022, total number of voice subscription in Ghana stood at 41,380,751.This represents a percentage increase of 1.28% over December 2019 figures of 40,857,007. The total penetration rate stands at 136.79%.

Competition among mobile-phone companies in Ghana is an important part of the telecommunications industry growth, Current market leader MTN with voice subscription of 23,150,485 representing 55.95% of the market is followed by Vodafone with voice subscription of 9,075,795 representing 21.93% market share, AirtelTigo voice subscription stands at 8,428,322 representing 20.69%, Glo's current voice subscription stands at 726,149 which represent a market share of 1.75%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The mass media of Ghana is among the most liberal in Africa, with Ghana ranking as the third-freest in Africa and 30th-most free in the world on the worldwide press freedom index. Chapter 12 of the Constitution of Ghana guarantees freedom of the Ghanaian press and the independence of the mass media, and Chapter 2 prohibits censorship.<ref name="Ghana culture and media" /> Ghanaian press freedom was restored in 1992.<ref name="Ghana culture and media">Ghana culture and media Template:Webarchive "Country Facts". Accessed 6 February 2013.</ref>

Ghana was one of the first countries in Africa to achieve the connection to the World Wide Web.<ref name="stats">Ghana: Internet Usage and Telecommunications Report Template:Webarchive. Internet World Stats. Accessdate 24 April 2013.</ref> In 2010, there were 165 licensed internet service providers in Ghana and they were running 29 of the fiber optic, and authorized networks VSAT operators were 176, of which 57 functioned, and 99 internet operators were authorized to the public, and private data and packet-switched network operators were 25.<ref name="proexca">Atteneri Nabila Benítez Trujillo. Information of Telecommunications in Ghana Template:Webarchive (in Spanish). Proexca, 2010. Accessdate 24 April 2013.</ref>

Data

File:GDP per capita development development of Ghana.svg

Change in per capita GDP of Ghana, 1870–2018. Figures are inflation-adjusted to 2011 International dollars

File:Poverty in Ghana.jpg

Share of population in extreme poverty over time, 1981 to 2019

The following table shows the main economic indicators in 1980–2023. Inflation below 5% is in green.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Year	GDP (in billion US$ PPP)	GDP per capita (in US$ PPP)	GDP (in billion US$ nominal)	GDP growth (real)	Inflation rate (in percent)	Government debt (in % of GDP)
1980	12.8	1,202	37.4	Template:Increase0.4%	Template:IncreaseNegative50.0%	n/a
1981	Template:Increase13.5	Template:Increase1,236	Template:Increase60.7	Template:Decrease−3.5%	Template:IncreaseNegative116.5%	n/a
1982	Template:Decrease13.2	Template:Decrease1,175	Template:Increase70.4	Template:Decrease−6.9%	Template:IncreaseNegative22.5%	n/a
1983	Template:Decrease12.8	Template:Decrease1,118	Template:Decrease47.3	Template:Decrease−4.8%	Template:IncreaseNegative122.2%	n/a
1984	Template:Increase14.6	Template:Increase1,185	Template:Decrease17.1	Template:Increase9.0%	Template:IncreaseNegative40.0%	n/a
1985	Template:Increase16.0	Template:Increase1,272	Template:Decrease15.3	Template:Increase5.1%	Template:IncreaseNegative10.3%	n/a
1986	Template:Increase17.3	Template:Increase1,347	Template:Decrease14.1	Template:Increase5.2%	Template:IncreaseNegative24.5%	n/a
1987	Template:Increase18.9	Template:Increase1,439	Template:Decrease11.8	Template:Increase4.8%	Template:IncreaseNegative39.8%	n/a
1988	Template:Increase20.9	Template:Increase1,550	Template:Increase12.5	Template:Increase5.6%	Template:IncreaseNegative31.4%	n/a
1989	Template:Increase22.7	Template:Increase1,646	Template:Increase12.7	Template:Increase5.1%	Template:IncreaseNegative25.2%	n/a
1990	Template:Increase24.4	Template:Increase1,728	Template:Increase14.7	Template:Increase3.3%	Template:IncreaseNegative37.2%	19.2%
1991	Template:Increase26.4	Template:Increase1,828	Template:Increase16.5	Template:Increase5.3%	Template:IncreaseNegative18.1%	Template:DecreasePositive18.7%
1992	Template:Increase28.2	Template:Increase1,907	Template:Decrease16.3	Template:Increase3.9%	Template:IncreaseNegative10.0%	Template:IncreaseNegative23.1%
1993	Template:Increase30.3	Template:Increase1,997	Template:Decrease13.3	Template:Increase3.7%	Template:IncreaseNegative24.9%	Template:IncreaseNegative37.2%
1994	Template:Increase32.0	Template:Increase2,061	Template:Decrease12.3	Template:Increase3.6%	Template:IncreaseNegative24.9%	Template:IncreaseNegative55.2%
1995	Template:Increase34.0	Template:Increase2,140	Template:Increase14.6	Template:Increase4.2%	Template:IncreaseNegative59.3%	Template:DecreasePositive51.0%
1996	Template:Increase36.3	Template:Increase2,228	Template:Increase15.5	Template:Increase4.6%	Template:IncreaseNegative44.5%	Template:DecreasePositive46.0%
1997	Template:Increase39.0	Template:Increase2,339	Template:Increase15.8	Template:Increase5.8%	Template:IncreaseNegative24.8%	Template:IncreaseNegative48.7%
1998	Template:Increase41.5	Template:Increase2,424	Template:Increase17.2	Template:Increase5.0%	Template:IncreaseNegative19.2%	Template:DecreasePositive40.6%
1999	Template:Increase44.0	Template:Increase2,506	Template:Increase17.8	Template:Increase4.5%	Template:IncreaseNegative12.5%	Template:IncreaseNegative55.7%
2000	Template:Increase46.6	Template:Decrease2,464	Template:Decrease11.5	Template:Increase3.6%	Template:IncreaseNegative25.1%	Template:IncreaseNegative80.2%
2001	Template:Increase49.5	Template:Increase2,550	Template:Increase12.2	Template:Increase3.8%	Template:IncreaseNegative32.9%	Template:DecreasePositive61.9%
2002	Template:Increase52.6	Template:Increase2,644	Template:Increase14.2	Template:Increase4.6%	Template:IncreaseNegative14.8%	Template:DecreasePositive58.0%
2003	Template:Increase56.3	Template:Increase2,766	Template:Increase17.5	Template:Increase5.1%	Template:IncreaseNegative26.6%	Template:DecreasePositive52.8%
2004	Template:Increase61.0	Template:Increase2,923	Template:Increase20.3	Template:Increase5.4%	Template:IncreaseNegative12.7%	Template:DecreasePositive41.1%
2005	Template:Increase66.8	Template:Increase3,126	Template:Increase24.6	Template:Increase6.2%	Template:IncreaseNegative15.1%	Template:DecreasePositive34.0%
2006	Template:Increase72.9	Template:Increase3,331	Template:Increase28.9	Template:Increase5.8%	Template:IncreaseNegative11.7%	Template:DecreasePositive18.5%
2007	Template:Increase77.9	Template:Increase3,480	Template:Increase34.0	Template:Increase4.1%	Template:IncreaseNegative10.7%	Template:IncreaseNegative22.5%
2008	Template:Increase86.5	Template:Increase3,779	Template:Increase38.7	Template:Increase9.2%	Template:IncreaseNegative16.5%	Template:IncreaseNegative24.6%
2009	Template:Increase92.0	Template:Increase3,931	Template:Increase34.6	Template:Increase4.8%	Template:IncreaseNegative13.1%	Template:IncreaseNegative26.9%
2010	Template:Increase100.4	Template:Increase4,071	Template:Increase43.3	Template:Increase7.9%	Template:IncreaseNegative6.7%	Template:IncreaseNegative34.5%
2011	Template:Increase116.8	Template:Increase4,623	Template:Increase53.8	Template:Increase14.0%	Template:IncreaseNegative7.7%	Template:DecreasePositive31.3%
2012	Template:Increase133.3	Template:Increase5,152	Template:Increase56.9	Template:Increase9.3%	Template:IncreaseNegative7.1%	Template:IncreaseNegative35.4%
2013	Template:Increase140.9	Template:Increase5,321	Template:Increase63.7	Template:Increase7.3%	Template:IncreaseNegative11.7%	Template:IncreaseNegative42.9%
2014	Template:Increase151.6	Template:Increase5,595	Template:Decrease54.3	Template:Increase2.9%	Template:IncreaseNegative15.5%	Template:IncreaseNegative50.1%
2015	Template:Decrease145.0	Template:Decrease5,233	Template:Decrease49.4	Template:Increase2.1%	Template:IncreaseNegative17.2%	Template:IncreaseNegative53.9%
2016	Template:Decrease142.3	Template:Decrease5,021	Template:Increase56.1	Template:Increase3.4%	Template:IncreaseNegative17.5%	Template:IncreaseNegative55.9%
2017	Template:Increase149.0	Template:Increase5,148	Template:Increase60.4	Template:Increase8.1%	Template:IncreaseNegative12.4%	Template:IncreaseNegative57.0%
2018	Template:Increase162.0	Template:Increase5,482	Template:Increase67.3	Template:Increase6.2%	Template:IncreaseNegative9.3%	Template:IncreaseNegative62.0%
2019	Template:Increase175.7	Template:Increase5,823	Template:Increase68.4	Template:Increase6.5%	Template:IncreaseNegative7.1%	Template:DecreasePositive58.3%
2020	Template:Increase178.9	Template:Decrease5,812	Template:Increase70.0	Template:Increase0.5%	Template:IncreaseNegative9.9%	Template:IncreaseNegative72.3%
2021	Template:Increase196.4	Template:Increase6,256	Template:Increase79.6	Template:Increase5.1%	Template:IncreaseNegative10.0%	Template:IncreaseNegative79.1%
2022	Template:Increase216.6	Template:Increase6,752	Template:Decrease72.1	Template:Increase3.1%	Template:IncreaseNegative31.9%	Template:IncreaseNegative92.4%
2023	Template:Increase227.2	Template:Increase6,905	Template:Increase76.6	Template:Increase1.2%	Template:IncreaseNegative42.2%	Template:DecreasePositive84.9%

Imports and exports

Ghana's top export products in 2016 were crude petroleum ($2.66B), gold ($2.39B), cocoa beans ($2.27B), cocoa paste ($382M) and cocoa butter ($252M). Ghana's top export destinations in 2016 were Switzerland ($1.73B), China ($1.06B), France ($939M), India ($789M) and the Netherlands ($778M).<ref name="Ghana Imports and Exports: OEC">Template:Cite web</ref>

Ghana's top import categories in 2016 were refined petroleum ($2.18B), crude petroleum ($546M), gold ($428M), rice ($328M) and packaged medicaments ($297M). The nations with the highest value of imports to Ghana in 2016 were China ($4.1B), the Netherlands ($1.58B), the United States ($1.1B), Nigeria ($920M) and India ($668M).<ref name="Ghana Imports and Exports: OEC" />

Trade statistics

Year	Goods exports (million US$)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Goods imports (in million US$)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Net trade (in million US$)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2023	Template:Increase$16,703	Template:Increase$14,009	Template:Increase$2,694
2020	Template:Increase$14,472	Template:Decrease$12,429	Template:Increase$2,043
2015	Template:Increase$10,321	Template:Increase$13,465	Template:Decrease−$3,144
2010	Template:Increase$7,960	Template:Increase$10,922	Template:Decrease−$2,962
2005	Template:Increase$2,802	Template:Increase$5,347	Template:Decrease−$2,545
2000	Template:Increase$1,936	Template:Increase$2,767	Template:Decrease−$830
1990	Template:Decrease$897	Template:Increase$1,205	Template:Decrease−$308
1980	$1,104	$908	Template:Increase$195

Private banking

Template:See also The financial services in Ghana have seen a lot of reforms in the past years. The Banking (Amendment) Act 2007 included the awarding of a general banking license to qualified banks, which allows only indigenous Ghana offshore banks to operate in Ghana. Indigenous Ghana private bank Capital Bank was the first to be awarded the general banking license in Ghana as well as indigenous Ghana private banks UniBank, National Investment Bank and Prudential Bank Limited. It has therefore become possible for Ghanaian non-resident individuals or residents and foreign companies or indigenous Ghana companies to open indigenous Ghana offshore bank accounts in Ghana.<ref name="heritage">Template:Cite web</ref> Indigenous Ghana retail and savings banks include Agricultural Development Bank of Ghana, CAL Bank, GCB Bank Ltd, Home Finance Company and UT Bank as well as indigenous Ghana savings and loan institutions ABii National and Savings and Loans Company.<ref name="heritage" />

Stock exchange

Template:Main The Stock Exchange of Ghana is one of the largest in Africa, with a market capitalization of GH¢57.2 billion or CN¥180.4 billion in 2012. South Africa's JSE Limited is the largest.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Rp</ref> Template:Clear

Energy

File:Economía Energética y Generación de Energía Eléctrica de Ghana – Energy Economy and Electricity Generation of Ghana (collage).JPG

Ghana hydropower and solar energy electricity generation industries, and the oil and gas industry

As of 2018, Ghana consumed some 10 MMtoe of primary energy, made mostly of biomass (40%), oil and diesel (40%), followed by hydropower (10%) and natural gas (10%).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Total energy consumption in Terrawatt-hours (TWh) of Ghana<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1980	1990	2000	2010	2020	2021
25	Template:Increase29	Template:Increase42	Template:Increase55	Template:Increase112	Template:Increase114
Per capita consumption in Kilowatt-hours (KWh)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2,135	Template:Decrease1,900	Template:Increase2,117	Template:Increase2,142	Template:Increase3,484	Template:Decrease3,483

Oil & Gas

Ghana discovered significant reserves of oil and natural gas offshore throughout the 2000s and 2010s. The country officially became an oil & gas producer in 2010 with the commissioning of the Jubilee field by Tullow Oil and currently produces from three major offshore hubs: Jubilee, TEN, and OCTP. In 2021, its production stood at some 150,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Since production began in 2010 Ghana has rose to be the 34th largest national producer of oil.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2021 Ghana exported more than 71mil barrels of oil.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> China was the largest importer of Ghana oil, receiving over 41% of exports with South Africa, the second largest importer, taking 13.9%.<ref name=":0" />

Solar energy

Ghana has aggressively begun the construction of solar plants across its sun-rich land in an aim to become the first country to get 6% of its energy from solar energy generation. Since construction began in the early 2010s electricity generation from solar has gone from zero KWh in 2014 to over 60 GWh in 2020, accounting for .46% of Ghana's electricity consumption.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Wind energy

File:Wind farm, unknown location.jpg

Wind turbines on a wind farm

Ghana has Class 4–6 wind resources and high-wind locations, such as Nkwanta, the Accra Plains, and Kwahu and Gambaga mountains. The maximum energy that could be tapped from Ghana's available wind resource for electricity is estimated to be about 500–600 GWh/year.<ref name="Renewable Energy – what is Ghana's wind power potential">Template:Cite web</ref> To give perspective: in 2011, per the same Energy Commission, the largest Akosombo hydroelectric dam in Ghana alone produced 6,495 GWh of electric power and, counting all Ghana's geothermal energy production in addition, the total energy generated was 11,200 GWh in that year.<ref name="Renewable Energy – what is Ghana's wind power potential"/> These assessments do not take into consideration further limiting factors such as land-use restrictions, the existing grid (or how far the wind resource may be from the grid) and accessibility.<ref name="Renewable Energy – what is Ghana's wind power potential"/>

Bio-energy

File:Sorghum field.png

Hybrid sorghum plantation field

Ghana has put in place mechanisms to attract investments into its biomass and bio-energy sectors to stimulate rural development, create jobs and save foreign exchange.<ref name="Ghana Renewable Energy – Bio Energy">Template:Cite web, Template:Cite web, Template:Cite web</ref> Main investments in the bio-energy subsector existed in the areas of production, are transportation, storage, distribution, sale, marketing and exportation.<ref name="Ghana Renewable Energy – Bio Energy" />

The goal of Ghana regarding bio-energy, as articulated by its energy sector policy, is to modernize and examine the benefits of bio-energy on a sustainable basis.<ref name="Ghana Renewable Energy – Bio Energy" /> Biomass is Ghana's dominant energy resource in terms of endowment and consumption, with the two primary bio-fuels consumed being ethanol and biodiesel.<ref name="Ghana Renewable Energy – Bio Energy" /> To that effect, the Ghana ministry of Energy in 2010 developed its energy sector strategy and development plan.<ref name="Ghana Renewable Energy – Bio Energy" /> Highlights of the strategy include sustaining the supply and efficient use of wood fuels while ensuring that their utilization does not lead to deforestation.<ref name="Ghana Renewable Energy – Bio Energy" />

The plan would support private sector investments in the cultivation of bio-fuel feedstock, the extraction of bio-oil, and refining it into secondary products, thereby creating financial and tax incentives. The Ghana Renewal Energy Act provides the necessary fiscal incentives for renewable energy development by the private sector, and also details the control and management of bio-fuel and wood fuel projects in Ghana.<ref name="Ghana Renewable Energy – Bio Energy" /> The Ghana National Petroleum Authority (NPA) was tasked by the Renewable Energy Act 2011 to price Ghana's bio-fuel blend in accordance with the prescribed petroleum pricing formula.<ref name="Ghana Renewable Energy – Bio Energy" />

The combined effects of climate change and global economic turbulence had triggered a sense of urgency among Ghanaian policymakers, industry and development practitioners to find sustainable and viable solutions in the area of bio-fuels.<ref name="Ghana Renewable Energy – Bio Energy" />

Brazil, which makes ethanol from maize and sugarcane, is currently the world's largest bio-fuel market.<ref name="Ghana Renewable Energy – Bio Energy" />

Energy consumption

Electricity generation is one of the key factors in achieving the development of the Ghanaian national economy, with aggressive and rapid industrialization; Ghana's national electric energy consumption was 265 kilowatts per capita in 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Shortages of electricity have led to dumsor (blackouts),<ref name="germany">Template:Cite web</ref> increasing the interest in renewables.<ref name="graphic1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Hydrocarbon and mining

File:Ghana Mineral Resources (collage).JPG

Template:Center

File:Ghana Export Trends.jpg

Ghana's increasing oil exports as a percentage of all exports

Ghana has Template:Convert to Template:Convert of petroleum in reserves. A large oilfield which contains up to Template:Convert of sweet crude oil was discovered in 2007.<ref>Ghana's increasing Oil Reserves and New Discoveries Template:Webarchive. news.yahoo.com. 22 December 2007. Retrieved 22 December 2007.</ref> Since these discoveries Ghana increased production steadily, the nations current peak is 200,000 barrels per day in 2019. Current production in 2021 stands at 179,900 barrels per day.<ref name=":1" />

Ghana has vast natural gas reserves, which is used by many foreign multinational companies operating in Ghana.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The hydrocarbon industry has had major implications for regional and urban development in Ghana and these are likely to substantially increase in the years to come<ref>Obeng-Odoom F, 2014, Oiling the Urban Economy: Land, Labour, Capital, and the State in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana, Routledge, London</ref>

Mining has gained importance in the Ghanaian economy since the turn of the 21st century, with a growth of around 30% in 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The main mining extractions are bauxite,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> gold (Ghana is one of the largest gold producers in the world),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the phosphates.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Tourism

File:Ghana Tourism sites (collage).JPG

Template:Center

The Ministry of Tourism has placed great emphasis upon further tourism support and development. Tourism contributed to 4.9% of GDP in 2009, attracting around 500,000 visitors. Tourist destinations include Ghana's many castles and forts, national parks, beaches, nature reserves, landscapes and World Heritage buildings and sites.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2011, Forbes magazine ranked Ghana eleventh-friendliest country in the world. The assertion was based on a survey of a cross-section of travelers in 2010. Of all the countries on the African continent that were included in the survey, Ghana ranked highest.<ref name="RANK">Template:Cite web</ref>

To enter Ghana, it is necessary to have a visa authorized by the Government of Ghana, except for certain entrepreneurs on business trips.<ref name="TUR">Harvard quotation. Belda. 2004. Template:Rp</ref> Template:Clear

Agriculture

In 2013 agriculture employed 53.6% of Ghana's total labor force.<ref name="Food and Agriculture Policy Decision Analysis: Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations" /><ref name="cs" /> Agribusiness accounts for a small fraction of the gross domestic product.<ref name="ONU">Template:Cite web</ref> The main harvested crops are corn, plantain, rice, millet, sorghum, cassava and yam.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Unlike the agricultural livestock, forestry and fishing sectors, the crop sector is key to the Ghanaian agricultural industry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ghana produced in 2018:

• 20.8 million tons of cassava (4th largest producer in the world, second only to Nigeria, Thailand and Congo)
• 7.8 million tonnes of yam (2nd largest producer in the world, second only to Nigeria)
• 4.1 million tons of plantain (2nd largest producer in the world, just behind Congo)
• 2.6 million tons of palm oil (8th largest producer in the world)
• 2.3 million tons of maize
• 1.4 million tons of taro (4th largest producer in the world, second only to Nigeria, China and Cameroon)
• 947 thousand tons of cocoa (2nd largest producer in the world, second only to Ivory Coast)
• 769 thousand tons of rice
• 753 thousand tons of orange (19th largest producer in the world)
• 713 thousand tons of pineapple (11th largest producer in the world)
• 521 thousand tons of peanut

In addition to smaller productions of other agricultural products, like sweet potato (151 thousand tons), natural rubber (23 thousand tons) and tobacco (2.3 thousand tons).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Clear

Ghana: Vision 2020 and industrialization

With the economic program "Ghana: Vision 2020", Ghana intends to achieve its goals of accelerated economic growth and improved quality of life for all its citizens, by reducing poverty through private investment, rapid and aggressive industrialization, and direct and aggressive poverty-alleviation efforts.<ref name="Ghana – Vision 2020">Template:Cite web</ref> These plans were released in the 1995 government report, Ghana: Vision 2020.<ref name="Ghana – Vision 2020" /> Nationalization of state-owned enterprises continues, with about two thirds of 300 parastatal enterprises owned by the government of Ghana.<ref name="Ghana – Vision 2020" /> Other reforms adopted under the government's structural adjustment program include increasing exchange rate controls and increasing autarky and increasing restrictions on imports.<ref name="Ghana – Vision 2020" />

The Ghana: Vision 2020 forecast assumes political stability; successful economic stabilization; the implementation of Ghana: Vision 2020 policy agenda on private sector growth; and aggressive public spending on social services, infrastructure and industrialization. It projection states that Ghana's goals of reaching high-income economy status and newly industrialized country status will be easily realized between 2020 and 2039.<ref name="Ghana – Vision 2020" /><ref name="Era">Template:Cite web</ref>

2013 exports to<ref name="Ghana trades">Template:Cite web, Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Ghana Major Trade Partners" />		2013 imports from<ref name="Ghana trades" /><ref name="Ghana Major Trade Partners">Template:Cite web</ref>
Country	Percentage	Country	Percentage	File:Ghana Cocoa & Gold (collage).JPG Sunyani Cocoa House and Theobroma cacao; Ghana is projected to become the largest producer of cocoa in the world.<ref name="Era" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Ghana gold bars; Ghana is the 7th-largest producer of gold in the world.<ref name="Top 10 Gold Producers">Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Flagu	46.89%	Template:Flagu	12.46%
Template:Flagu	12.32%	Template:Flagu	11.76%
Template:Flagu	5.49%	Template:Flagu	8.86%
Template:Flagu	3.57%	Template:Flagu	5.15%
Template:Flagu	3.32%	Template:Flagu	4.35%
Template:Flagu	2.76%	Template:Flagu	3.93%
Others	25.65%	Others	53.49%

Economic transparency

File:Ghana Percent Wealth Owned.png

The distribution of wealth ownership in Ghanaian society in 2013. A majority of wealth is held by 20% of the population.

The judicial system of Ghana deals with corruption, economic malpractice and lack of economic transparency.<ref name="heritage" /> Despite significant economic progress, obstacles do remain. Particular institutions need reform, and property rights need improvement. The overall investment regime lacks market transparency. Tackling these issues will be necessary if Ghana's rapid economic growth is to be maintained.<ref name="heritage" />

According to Transparency International's 2022 Corruption Perception Index, Ghana was ranked 72nd out of 180 countries, with a score of 43 on a scale where a 0–9 score means highly corrupt, and a 90–100 score means very clean. This was based on perceived levels of public sector corruption.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> John Addo Kufuor, son of former President John Agyekum Kufuor and Kojo Annan, son of former Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, have been named in association with the Panama Papers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Health and biotechnology

The Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine is an agency of the Ministry of Health that was set up in the 1970s for research and development and as a practical resource (product production & distribution/provision) primarily in areas of biotechnology related to medicinal plants. This includes both herbal medicine and work on more advanced applications. It also has a secondary role as an educational resource for foreign students in health, biotechnology and related fields.

Cybernetics and cyberwarfare

The use of computer technology for teaching and learning began to receive government of Ghana's attention from the late 1990s.<ref name="Pe" /> The information and communications technology in education policy of Ghana requires the use of information and communications technology for teaching and learning at all levels of education.<ref name="Pe" /> The Ministry of Education supports institutions in teaching of information and communications technology literacy.<ref name="Pe" /> The majority of secondary, and some basic schools of Ghana have computer laboratories.<ref name="Pe">K. D. MEREKU, I. Yidana, W. H. K. HORDZI, I. Tete-Mensah; Williams, J. B. (2009). Pedagogical Integration of ICT: Ghana Report. Template:Usurped</ref>

Ghana's intention to become the information technology hub of West Africa has led the government of Ghana to enact cyber crime legislation and enhance cyber security practices.<ref name="index"/> Acting on that goal, in 2008 Ghana passed the Electronic Communications Act and the Electronic Transactions Act, which established the legal framework for governing information technology.<ref name="index"/> In November 2011, the Deputy Minister for Communications and Technology announced the development of a national cyber security strategy, aimed at combating cyber crime and securing critical infrastructure.<ref name="index"/>

In June 2012, the National Information Technology Agency announced a national computer emergency response team "strategy" designed to co-ordinate government response to cyber-attacks, both internal and external.<ref name="index"/> The agency also established computer emergency response teams for each municipal, metropolitan, and district assembly to improve co-ordination and information-sharing on cyberspace threats.<ref name="index">Template:Cite web</ref> Ghana is ranked 2nd in Africa and 7th globally in cyber warfare, cyber-terrorism, cyber crime, and internet crime.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018, the National Cyber Security Centre was founded. It is the national agency responsible for cybersecurity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In November 2020, Parliament passed the Cybersecurity Act 2020. The Minister for Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, indicated that, "a successful economy is hinged on a secured, safe and resilient national digital ecosystem. Cyber-security is, therefore, very critical to the economic development of the country and essential to the protection of the rights of individuals within the national digital ecosystem".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Real estate

File:Luxury Villa House (South Ghana).jpg

A villa in East Ridge

The real estate and housing market has become an important and strategic economic sector, particularly in the urban centres of south Ghana such as Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Tema.<ref name="Economic Update" /><ref name="Real">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, many of its citizens particularly those in Accra cannot afford the housing prices which is a trait of most major cities globally particularly in the West. Kumasi is growing at a faster rate than Accra, and there is less competition in its real estate market.<ref name="Economic Update" /> The gross rental income tax of Ghana is withheld at 10%, capital gains are taxed at 15% with a 5% gift tax imposed on the transfer of properties and Ghana's real estate market is divided into 3 areas: public sector real estate development, emerging private sector real estate development, and private individuals.<ref name="Economic Update" /><ref name="Real"/> The activities of these 3 groups are facilitated by the Ghanaian banks and the primary mortgage market which has demonstrated enormous growth potential.<ref name="Real" /> Recent developments have given birth to a boom in the construction sector, including the housing and public housing sector generating and injecting billions of dollars annually into the Ghanaian economy.<ref name="Economic Update" /><ref name="Real" /> The real estate market investment perspective and attraction comes from Ghana's tropical location and robust political stability.<ref name="Economic Update" /><ref name="Real" /> An increasing number of the Ghanaian populace are investing in properties, and the Ghana government is empowering the private sector in the real estate direction.<ref name="Economic Update">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Real" />

Trade and exports

In July 2013, International Enterprise Singapore a global office in Accra to develop trade and investment on logistics, oil and gas, aviation, transportation and consumer sectors.<ref name="IE" /> Singapore and Ghana also signed four bilateral agreements to promote public sector and private sector collaboration, as Ghana aims to predominantly shift its economic trade partnership to East Asia and Southeast Asia.<ref name="IE" /> The economic centre is IE Singapore's second office in Africa.<ref name="IE">Template:Cite web</ref> Ghana's labour force in 2008 totalled 11.5 million Ghanaian citizens.<ref name="afdb">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Rp</ref> Tema Harbour is Africa's largest manmade harbour, and Takoradi Harbour along with Tema harbour handle goods and exports. They are also traffic junctions where goods are transhipped; the Tema harbour handles the majority of the nation's export cargo and most of the country's chief exports is shipped from Takoradi harbour.<ref name="GPHA-Sekond-Takoradi" /><ref name="GPHA-Tema" /> The Takoradi harbour and Tema harbour are operated by the state-owned Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.<ref name="GPHA-Sekond-Takoradi">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="GPHA-Tema">Template:Cite web</ref>

Challenges

File:Bank of Ghana High Street.jpg

Bank of Ghana

Over the years, the country has encountered various economic challenges especially in its bid to become financially sustainable. One of the most prominent has been high public debt.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In January 2023, the Bank of Ghana reported that the country's level of debt was up to the tune of GH¢575.7 billion at the end of November 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• Economic history of Ghana
• United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
• List of countries by gold production

External links

• Google Earth map of the oil and gas infrastructure in Ghana
• World Bank Trade Summary Statistics Ghana