• Ghana’s poverty rate declined from 24.9% to 21.9% in less than one year.
• More than 360,000 people exited multidimensional poverty in Q3 2025.
• Rural areas and northern regions remain the most affected.

Ghana’s poverty rate fell to 21.9% in the third quarter of 2025, down from 24.9% in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to data released on Jan. 21 by the Ghana Statistical Service.

The figures are based on the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), which uses indicators spanning several sectors, including health, education, and employment. Between the second and third quarters of 2025 alone, more than 360,000 people exited multidimensional poverty, the data show.

“In the third quarter of 2025, 7.2 million people in Ghana were living in multidimensional poverty, compared with 8.1 million in the third quarter of 2024,” said Alhassan Iddrisu, government statistician at the Ghana Statistical Service.

Poverty remains more prevalent in rural areas than in cities. Over the period under review, the poverty rate stood at 31.9% in rural areas, compared with 14.2% in urban areas. The North East and Savannah regions recorded poverty incidence above 50%, while Greater Accra and the Western Region remained below 20%.

According to Iddrisu, the strongest pressures in the MPI are linked to health and living conditions. Health insurance coverage, nutrition, overcrowding, and sanitation remain the main stress factors.

To reduce poverty and inequality, the Ghanaian government has rolled out several policies and strategies. These include the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy II (GPRS II), which aims to reduce poverty by 2027. The strategy focuses on stronger economic growth, higher agricultural productivity, better access to education and health care, and the promotion of gender equality.

In parallel, the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) cash transfer program for the poorest households continues to be expanded.

The government also unveiled a plan in October 2025 to create about 500,000 jobs in the agricultural sector. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to transform the sector and accelerate inclusive economic growth.

Lydie Mobio