Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Ghana
Ghana: Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) was 17.8% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Subsidies and other transfers in Ghana, 2001–2022
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 17.8% for subsidies and other transfers in 2022.
The figure is up 25.0% on the previous year and down 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, subsidies and other transfers in Ghana peaked at 37.0% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 2002.
Ghana ranks 129th of 152 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 4.1% | — |
| 2002 | 3.9% | -4.5% |
| 2003 | 19.2% | +388.0% |
| 2004 | 28.6% | +48.9% |
| 2005 | 25.5% | -10.9% |
| 2006 | 28.6% | +12.3% |
| 2007 | 37.0% | +29.1% |
| 2008 | 30.2% | -18.3% |
| 2009 | 27.9% | -7.5% |
| 2010 | 34.0% | +21.7% |
| 2011 | 33.0% | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 22.6% | -31.6% |
| 2013 | 23.8% | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 18.4% | -22.5% |
| 2015 | 21.6% | +17.2% |
| 2016 | 21.4% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 20.2% | -5.7% |
| 2018 | 20.4% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 18.7% | -8.5% |
| 2020 | 14.2% | -24.0% |
| 2021 | 14.2% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 17.8% | +25.0% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 17.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 33.6%, 53% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 17.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.7%, 69% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Ghana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +388.0% | 3.9% | 19.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.8% | 3.9% | 37.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 23.4% | 18.4% | 34.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.4% | 14.2% | 17.8% | 3 |
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 subsidies and other transfers in Ghana?
- Subsidies and other transfers in Ghana was 17.8% in 2022, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 37.0% in 2007.
- What is the lowest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 2002.
- How does Ghana rank for subsidies and other transfers?
- Ghana ranks 129th out of 152 countries with data for 2022.
- Is subsidies and other transfers rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Subsidies are current unrequited payments that government units, including nonresident government units, make to enterprises on the basis of the levels of their production activities or the quantities or values of the goods or services that they produce, sell, export or import. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.