Ghana recorded a 6.0% expansion in gross domestic product during the second quarter of 2026, pushing the nation’s total economic growth for the first six months of the year to 6.2%, according to official figures published by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
While the latest quarterly return reflects a modest easing from the 6.1% output recorded in the equivalent period last year, the country’s non-oil economy maintained significant momentum. Non-oil GDP rose by 5.4% between April and June, helping to lift the non-oil performance for the first half of 2026 to 5.9%.
Information and communications technology, combined with a resurgence in oil and gas production, served as the primary growth drivers. The broader services sector expanded by 8.0% during the quarter, generating more than half of the overall national output at 57.6%. Within services, the ICT sub-sector emerged as the star performer, surging by 30.9% and single-handedly generating 41.5% of total economic expansion in the period—highlighting the expanding influence of the digital economy on national output.
Industrial performance also posted positive movement, expanding by 4.3% in the second quarter. The sector drew considerable support from the energy domain, where oil and gas extraction rebounded sharply by 21.4%. Despite this recovery, broader manufacturing and industrial output grew at a far more tempered rate compared to services, demonstrating an uneven pace of expansion across productive industries.
In contrast, agriculture continued to trail other major sectors, recording a modest growth rate of 3.9%. The primary sector was heavily dragged down by a steep 24.7% drop in fishing output, exposing a sharp structural divide against the high-performing tech and service markets.
Broader demand metrics revealed strong domestic momentum, with overall investment surging by 53.0% and local consumption climbing by 11.2% in the second quarter. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, seasonally adjusted real GDP grew by 1.4%, signaling sustained momentum despite the concentration of gains in specific industries.
While first-half figures highlight clear economic resilience, economic managers face an ongoing structural hurdle. The country’s growth path remains heavily anchored in telecom and oil extraction, leaving policymakers with the critical task of spreading this momentum into traditional agriculture and manufacturing to better support widespread job creation and household incomes.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
