Ghana Records Drop in Poverty Levels as Living Conditions Show Signs of Improvement
Story: written by Uzuh Rita Uzuh January 22,2026
Ghana has recorded measurable progress in reducing poverty, supported by improvements in household nutrition, education and access to basic services, even as income inequality continues to pose a major challenge.
According to a report released Wednesday by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), the country’s multidimensional poverty index declined to 21.9% by the end of the third quarter of last year, down from 24.9% in the final quarter of 2024. The improvement means about 7 million Ghanaians are currently classified as multidimensionally poor — roughly one million fewer people than a year earlier.
The index assesses deprivation across 13 indicators covering living standards, employment, health and education, offering a broader picture than income-based poverty alone. By contrast, Ghana’s monetary poverty rate — which measures people living on less than one dollar per day — stood at 23.4% based on 2016–2017 data.
Data from the report show notable gains in key social indicators. Nutritional deprivation fell to 10.6% in the three months to September 2025 from 13.3% in the same period a year earlier. Educational setbacks also eased significantly, with schooling lag dropping to 3.9% from 15.3%. Housing deprivation improved to 14.5% from 16.1%, while lack of access to safe drinking water declined to 6.3% from 8%.
However, not all indicators moved in a positive direction. The proportion of households without access to clean cooking fuel rose slightly to 8.4% from 8%, while overcrowding in homes worsened sharply, almost doubling to 21.6%.
Despite the progress, the GSS noted that inequality remains entrenched, suggesting that further targeted interventions are needed to ensure gains are broadly shared across the population.
