Ghana's Q1 2026 External Trade Surplus Reaches GH¢46.1 billion ($4.3 billion)
The Ghana Statistical Service released provisional figures showing a first-quarter trade surplus of $4.3 billion, though the Government Statistician noted a real-term deficit due to falling commodity prices.
Ghana's external trade totalled GH¢174.6 billion ($16.1 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, according to provisional data released by the Ghana Statistical Service. Exports reached GH¢110.3 billion ($10.2 billion), while imports were GH¢64.2 billion ($5.9 billion). This resulted in a nominal trade surplus of GH¢46.1 billion ($4.3 billion), which is $100 million lower than the previous year's first-quarter figure. Government Statistician Dr Alhassan Iddrisu presented the report on Monday, warning that the positive balance requires caution because Ghana recorded a real-term deficit during the period. He explained that while nominal exports stood at GH¢110.3 billion, their real value was only GH¢28.1 billion compared to real imports of GH¢34.3 billion. Dr Iddrisu attributed this discrepancy to price movements, noting that export prices rose 5% year-on-year and 8.5% quarter-on-quarter, largely driven by higher gold prices.
