Ghana’s export earnings climbed to a record $18.2 billion during the first half of 2026, driven largely by strong gold exports, according to the latest Summary of Economic and Financial Data released by the Bank of Ghana.
The country’s total export receipts at the end of June 2026 increased from $13.7 billion recorded during the same period in 2025, reflecting robust growth in external trade.
Gold remained Ghana’s leading export, generating $12.5 billion in earnings during the six-month period. This marks a significant increase from the $8.3 billion recorded in June 2025, underscoring the sector’s strong performance amid favourable conditions on the international market.
Cocoa exports also registered modest growth, earning $2.2 billion by the end of June 2026 compared with $2.1 billion during the corresponding period last year.
Oil exports contributed $1.7 billion, while other exports generated an additional $1.7 billion. The latter was slightly lower than the $1.8 billion recorded in the first half of 2025.
On the import side, Ghana spent approximately $9.4 billion during the first six months of 2026, representing a slight increase over the same period last year. Of that amount, the country’s oil import bill accounted for $3.3 billion.
The sharp increase in export earnings resulted in a trade surplus of $8.8 billion by the end of June 2026, up from $5.7 billion recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
The improved trade balance is expected to strengthen Ghana’s external sector by supporting the country’s foreign exchange position and boosting international reserves.
The development comes ahead of anticipated inflows exceeding $500 million from Ghana’s development partners by the end of the third quarter of 2026, which are expected to provide additional support for the country’s reserve position.
