Government Statistician Dr Alhassan Iddrisu has disclosed that charcoal has become the single largest contributor to inflation in Ghana, with prices rising by more than 50 percent over the past year and exerting significant pressure on household budgets.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express Business Edition on Thursday, Dr Iddrisu said the development comes despite what he described as a remarkable improvement in the country’s overall inflation performance.
“By all standards, this is a remarkable turnaround, and every Ghanaian should know this,” he stated.
Despite the positive national inflation figures, Dr Iddrisu warned of emerging challenges within the food sector. He revealed that food inflation increased to 3.3 percent in May 2026, up from 2.2 percent recorded in April.
“Food inflation rose to 3.3% year on year, up from 2.2% in April,” he said.
According to him, food prices recorded one of the sharpest monthly increases in recent times, rising by 2 percent between April and May 2026.
“In fact, in just one month, that’s between April and May 2026, we saw food prices actually jump 2%, and that’s one of the fastest we have seen in a single month in terms of price movements,” he noted.
Dr Iddrisu identified tomatoes as a major contributor to the increase in food prices. He explained that tomato prices rose by 35.8 percent between May 2025 and May 2026 and experienced an even sharper increase within a single month.
“In fact, between April and May 2026 alone, tomato prices jumped by 38.8%, so that’s a real supply shock,” he explained.
He attributed the surge to disruptions in tomato imports from Burkina Faso following attacks on Ghanaian traders and the subsequent export restrictions imposed by authorities there.
“As we all know, earlier this year, Ghanaian traders were attacked in Burkina Faso, and an export ban followed that disrupted tomato supply into our market. Even after the ban was reversed on April 2, the damage had already been done and prices had already spiked,” he said.
However, Dr Iddrisu stressed that charcoal remains the most significant concern. According to him, charcoal prices increased by 50.1 percent between May 2025 and May 2026, making it the largest contributor to Ghana’s overall inflation rate.
“Charcoal prices rose by 50.1% over the year, meaning between May 2025 and May 2026, and charcoal is actually the single largest contributor to our national inflation,” he stated.
He further disclosed that charcoal alone accounted for approximately 13.1 percent of the country’s total inflation figure in May 2026.
“And as we know, many Ghanaian homes still cook with charcoal, and when that cost goes up, everyone feels it,” he added.
Dr Iddrisu’s remarks underscore the growing disconnect between improving macroeconomic indicators and the realities faced by many households, which continue to struggle with rising food and energy costs despite broader economic progress.
