Africa Economy

Ever since gaining its independence from the UK in 1957, sub-Saharan Africa’s first self-governing nation has strived to follow a path of cooperation and active participation in the international community. As one of Africa’s most stable and progressive democracies, Ghana’s influence in regional affairs and international diplomacy has been...

As the two largest economies in West Africa, the relationship between Nigeria and Ghana is a crucial one for the region. Trade ties are particularly important, and Nigeria’s high levels of liquidity serve as an important source of capital for Ghana.

Buoyed by the onset of oil production and accompanying capital inflows at end-2010, Ghana’s economy grew faster than any other in the world in 2011, and while the pace looks set to moderate somewhat on the back of reduced export demand and more modest commodity revenues, its upward trajectory continues.

In many ways, Ghana’s political scene is one of its most recognisable defining features. Descriptions of the country, including this report, often stress the fact that Ghana, in contrast to many of its neighbours, has had two decades of stable democracy, with free and open elections, comparatively low levels of corruption and a lack of broader...

With employment a perennial political hot potato, the authorities have been undertaking a number of schemes to boost job prospects in the country. These include training initiatives, backed by international donors, as well as policies targeted at maximising the number of positions to be awarded to Ghanaians, especially within the energy sector.

The key theme of the 2012 budget – the first to be prepared following the beginning of Ghana’s commercial oil production – is infrastructure spending, with a particular focus on transport and energy. It encompasses agricultural, water, health and education facilities as well. While the government initially made efforts to ensure that spending...