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March 19, 2026
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Women and urban hubs drive Ghana’s 2.6 million business landscape
Money
Policy
Opportunity
Growth
Key Points
- The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has mapped 2,644,358 businesses in its latest Integrated Business Establishment Survey (IBES).
- Nearly 30% (776,668) of these businesses operate in open spaces or as mobile units, highlighting the massive scale of the informal sector.
- Open-space businesses employ over 922,000 people, with activity heavily concentrated in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions.
- Women constitute nearly 80% of those engaged in open-space, fixed-location businesses, making it a key driver of female economic empowerment.
- The informal and semi-formal sectors, primarily Ghanaian-owned (99.2% of open-space businesses), remain the heartbeat of Ghana's economy and a major source of income.
Why This Matters
This data provides a crucial, comprehensive understanding of Ghana's economic landscape, particularly the significant role and structure of its informal and semi-formal sectors. It highlights critical areas for policy intervention, such as supporting female entrepreneurship and regional development, which are essential for inclusive national growth and stability.
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