Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) in Ghana
Ghana: Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) was 19.17 in 2031. ▲ Rising
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP in Ghana, 1980–2031
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Ghana is 19.17, measured in 2031.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 29.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Ghana peaked at 31.51 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.49, in 1983.
Ghana ranks 21st of 26 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.51 | — |
| 1981 | 5.74 | -23.5% |
| 1982 | 4.73 | -17.7% |
| 1983 | 3.49 | -26.3% |
| 1984 | 4.64 | +33.1% |
| 1985 | 6.08 | +30.9% |
| 1986 | 7.29 | +20.0% |
| 1987 | 7.32 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 7.23 | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 7.24 | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 6.59 | -9.0% |
| 1991 | 7.09 | +7.5% |
| 1992 | 9.2 | +29.9% |
| 1993 | 12.1 | +31.4% |
| 1994 | 12.7 | +5.0% |
| 1995 | 12.97 | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 12.44 | -4.1% |
| 1997 | 11.97 | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 11.79 | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 11.11 | -5.8% |
| 2000 | 11.98 | +7.9% |
| 2001 | 13.78 | +15.0% |
| 2002 | 10.65 | -22.7% |
| 2003 | 12.12 | +13.8% |
| 2004 | 13.75 | +13.4% |
| 2005 | 12.88 | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 14.37 | +11.5% |
| 2007 | 16.8 | +16.9% |
| 2008 | 16.63 | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 16.57 | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 18.97 | +14.5% |
| 2011 | 19.5 | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 22.05 | +13.1% |
| 2013 | 21.56 | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 20.97 | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 18.62 | -11.2% |
| 2016 | 19.89 | +6.8% |
| 2017 | 17.58 | -11.6% |
| 2018 | 20.9 | +18.8% |
| 2019 | 22.49 | +7.6% |
| 2020 | 31.51 | +40.1% |
| 2021 | 27.21 | -13.6% |
| 2022 | 27.49 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 18.54 | -32.6% |
| 2024 | 22 | +18.7% |
| 2025 | 17.03 | -22.6% |
| 2026 | 19.05 | +11.9% |
| 2027 | 18.63 | -2.2% |
| 2028 | 18.67 | +0.2% |
| 2029 | 18.83 | +0.8% |
| 2030 | 19.23 | +2.1% |
| 2031 | 19.17 | -0.3% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 19.17 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 20.27, 95% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6.13 | 3.49 | 7.51 | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.79 | 6.59 | 12.97 | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.95 | 10.65 | 16.8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.25 | 17.58 | 22.49 | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.9 | 17.03 | 31.51 | 10 |
| 2030s | 19.2 | 19.17 | 19.23 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More public sector data for Ghana
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 5.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.3195 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 37.5 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Ghana?
- Expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Ghana was 19.17 in 2031, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 31.51 in 2020.
- What is the lowest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.49 in 1983.
- How does Ghana rank for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp?
- Ghana ranks 21st out of 26 countries with data for 2031.
- Is expenditure, general government, percent of gdp rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.