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Ghana Banks Write Off GH¢1.64bn in 2025 as Bad Debt Drops 57%, NPL Ratio Improves

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Banks in Ghana wrote off GH¢1.64 billion in bad debts in 2025, representing a sharp 57.1 percent decline compared to the previous year, according to data released by the Bank of Ghana.

Figures from the central bank’s Domestic Money Banks Income Statement show that in 2024, banks made provisions amounting to GH¢3.82 billion for bad loans, depreciation and other related losses. The significant drop in write-offs in 2025 signals a relative easing in credit losses across the industry.

Despite this improvement, asset quality risks within the banking sector remain elevated. The January 2026 Banking Developments Report indicates that the industry’s Non-Performing Loans ratio declined to 18.9 percent in December 2025, down from 21.8 percent recorded in December 2024.

When adjusted to exclude fully provisioned loan loss categories, the NPL ratio fell more sharply from 8.5 percent to 5.0 percent over the same period, reflecting stronger recovery and provisioning efforts by banks.

However, the total stock of non-performing loans increased marginally by 0.8 percent to GH¢21.0 billion in December 2025. This contrasts with the much higher growth rate of 31.4 percent recorded in December 2024, suggesting that while bad loans are still rising in absolute terms, the pace of growth has slowed considerably.

A breakdown of the NPL figures shows that the private sector continues to account for the overwhelming share of distressed loans. Its proportion of total non-performing loans rose to 97.5 percent in December 2025, up from 96.2 percent a year earlier. In contrast, the public sector’s share declined to 2.5 percent from 3.8 percent over the same period.

The central bank noted that the overall decline in the NPL ratio reflects broad-based improvements in asset quality across most sectors of the economy. However, two sectors recorded worsening loan performance. The construction sector saw its NPL ratio rise from 29.8 percent to 30.7 percent, while the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector experienced a more significant increase from 38.0 percent to 46.3 percent.

All other sectors reported improvements in asset quality during the review period, pointing to gradual stabilization in credit conditions within the banking industry.

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24-Hour Economy Authority Secures Over $8 Billion in Investment Agreements in 90 Days

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The Ghana 24-Hour Economy Authority has announced that it has secured bankable investment agreements worth more than $8 billion within the last 90 days, a development officials say demonstrates growing investor confidence in the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy initiative.

The disclosure was made by the Chief Export Development Officer of the Ghana 24-Hour Economy Authority, Gabriel Opoku-Asare, during a roundtable discussion on the theme, “Unlocking Africa’s Single Market: How Can Ghanaian Businesses Win Under AfCFTA?” on Channel One TV as part of the Citi Business Festival held on Thursday, June 11, 2026.

According to Mr. Opoku-Asare, the agreements underscore the government’s commitment to attracting private sector investment to drive the implementation of the 24-Hour Economy agenda, rather than relying extensively on public funding.

He explained that the strategy is designed to reduce pressure on the country’s public finances while accelerating industrial growth and the development of strategic economic corridors across Ghana.

“We are enabling private capital in the development of all the projects we are talking about and the economic corridors we are building. Once private capital comes in, our work is coordination and enabling investment, so it is not sitting on sovereign debt. That is very important to ensure permanence in the long term,” he stated.

Mr. Opoku-Asare noted that the Authority is increasingly focusing on facilitating and coordinating private investments instead of directly financing projects with government resources, a move he believes will enhance the long-term sustainability of the programme.

He further emphasised that the signing of investment agreements exceeding $8 billion within a relatively short period highlights strong investor interest and confidence in the direction of the 24-Hour Economy programme.

“I’ve spoken about, in the last 90 days, all the bankable agreements that we’ve signed already, which is like over $8 billion,” he added.

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BoG Halts Proposed Charges on MoMo-to-Bank Transfers

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The Bank of Ghana has directed Mobile Money Fintech Limited to suspend its planned 0.75 per cent charge on direct mobile money wallet-to-bank account transfers.

The proposed fee, which was expected to take effect from June 1, 2026, has been put on hold to allow for further stakeholder consultations, the central bank announced on Tuesday, May 26.

The directive follows a notice issued by MTN Ghana on Monday, May 25, informing customers that transfers from MoMo wallets to bank accounts would attract a 0.75 per cent fee per transaction, capped at GH₵5.

Under the proposed arrangement, customers would have been charged even when transferring funds from their own registered MoMo wallet to their personal bank account — a service that has so far been offered free of charge.

In a statement, the Bank of Ghana explained that the suspension forms part of efforts to ensure that any adjustments to charges within the mobile financial services space are implemented in a fair and transparent manner, while safeguarding consumer interests and financial well-being.

For the time being, customers will continue to enjoy free transfers from MoMo wallets to bank accounts, as the proposed charges remain suspended.

The central bank further clarified that existing charges on MoMo wallet-to-wallet transfers, as well as cash-in and cash-out transactions at agent points, remain unchanged.

MTN Ghana is yet to officially respond to the Bank of Ghana’s directive.

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MTN Ghana Introduces Charges on MoMo-to-Bank Transfers from June 1

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MTN Ghana has announced that Mobile Money users will begin paying charges for transfers from their MoMo wallets to bank accounts effective June 1, 2026, ending years of free transfers for customers moving funds between their own accounts.

In a text message sent to subscribers on Monday evening, May 25, the telecommunications company disclosed that all MoMo-to-bank transfers will now attract a fee of 0.75 per cent per transaction, capped at GH₵5.

Under the new pricing structure, customers transferring GH₵100 from their MoMo wallet to a bank account will pay 75 pesewas, while transfers of GH₵667 and above will attract the maximum charge of GH₵5.

The fee will apply to all bank transfers, including transactions involving bank accounts belonging to the same individual who owns the MoMo wallet. Previously, MTN customers enjoyed free transfers when moving funds between their personally registered MoMo wallets and bank accounts.

According to the company, the move forms part of efforts to improve service delivery to its growing customer base.

“From 1 June 2026, transfers from your MoMo Wallet to bank accounts will attract a fee of 0.75% per transaction, capped at GH₵5. This will help us continue to serve you better. Thank you for choosing MoMo,” the message to customers stated.

The development marks a significant change in MTN Ghana’s mobile financial service charges, particularly for customers who frequently transfer money from MoMo wallets into bank accounts for business and personal transactions.

However, the company clarified that the new charge applies only to transfers from MoMo wallets to bank accounts. Existing charges for MoMo-to-MoMo transfers, as well as cash-in and cash-out transactions at agent points, remain unchanged.

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