Ghana’s exports hit US$22.44bn as gold drives external trade gains

Ghana’s merchandise exports reached US$22.44 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up from US$17.94 billion over the corresponding period of 2025.

The US$4.50 billion increase represents a 25.1% year-on-year growth in export earnings, with gold accounting for the bulk of the expansion.

According to the Bank of Ghana’s Summary of Economic and Financial Data released on September 23, 2026, gold exports rose from US$11.18 billion in the first eight months of 2025 to US$14.86 billion in the same period of 2026.

That represents an increase of US$3.68 billion, or 32.9%.

Gold alone accounted for about two-thirds of Ghana’s total merchandise export earnings during the period and contributed roughly 82% of the overall increase in exports.

The performance underscores the importance of gold to Ghana’s external sector, while also highlighting the extent to which the country’s export position remains exposed to developments in the international precious-metals market.