Ghana’s Economy Expands 6.1% in First Three Quarters of 2025- new gss data reveals
Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu. Photo credit by GSS
Accra, Ghana- Ghana’s economy grew by 6.1 percent in the first nine months of 2025, driven by strong performances in agriculture, information and communication, and trade, according to provisional data released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). Presenting the third-quarter GDP report in Accra on Tuesday, Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu said the data reflects “slightly stronger cumulative growth momentum” compared to the same period in 2024.
“Cumulative real output for the first three quarters of 2025 grew by 6.1 percent compared to 5.7 percent in the same period in 2024,” Dr. Iddrisu said. “This means that 2025 recorded slightly stronger cumulative growth momentum in the first three quarters compared to 2024.
Ghana’s real GDP grew 5.5 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, while non-oil GDP rose 6.8 percent, showing that most sectors of the economy continue to grow even as the oil and gas industry contracts.
“When we look at the economy without oil and gas, what we call non-oil GDP, growth was 6.8 percent,” he explained. “This tells us that most parts of the economy are still growing steadily, even as oil and gas activities slow down.”
Agriculture emerged as the strongest performer, expanding 8.6 percent compared to 2.5 percent a year ago, with fishing output surging 23.1 percent and crops up 8.3 percent. Dr. Iddrisu noted that the rebound in farming “influences food supply, food prices, and jobs in rural communities.”
The services sector remained the backbone of Ghana’s economy, accounting for 40 percent of total GDP and growing 7.6 percent in Q3. “Information and communication led the way with 17 percent growth, reflecting Ghana’s rising digital activity,” Dr. Iddrisu said. “Trade expanded by 10 percent and transport and storage grew by 10.4 percent, showing renewed momentum in business and commercial movement.”
In contrast, industry grew only 0.8 percent, dragged down by an 18.2 percent contraction in oil and gas. Manufacturing provided a modest buffer, expanding 3.9 percent compared to 7.4 percent a year earlier.
Dr. Iddrisu urged households and businesses to take advantage of growth opportunities emerging in fast-expanding sectors. “For households, this is a good time to invest in skills that match fast-growing sectors like ICT, fishing, and trade,” he said. “For businesses, the expanding sectors point to real opportunities in agriculture and services, particularly ICT, transport, and trade, are areas where investment can make a strong impact.”
He added that government policy should continue to focus on sustaining growth in agriculture and digital services while addressing the sharp slowdown in oil and gas production.
“The data shows the value of keeping support strong in the areas driving growth,” he emphasized. “At the same time, the sharp decline in oil and gas and the slowdown in parts of industry require focused policies to stabilize production and protect jobs.”
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