World Bank warns: bad roads, expensive internet dragging Ghana’s growth
The World Bank has warned that Ghana’s poor business environment remains a major drag on the country’s growth potential, despite impressive macroeconomic recovery.
According to the Bank, unreliable and expensive connectivity is increasing the cost of doing business, fragmenting markets, and discouraging private investment, especially in non-extractive sectors.
The warning was contained in the 10th Ghana Economic Update launched in Accra.
Speaking at the launch, the World Bank Division Director for Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia, Robert Taliercio O’Brien, said improving the business environment is critical if Ghana is to translate its recent macroeconomic gains into sustainable and inclusive growth.
“The business environment is a further drag on growth potential; unreliable and costly connectivity raises the cost of doing business, fragments markets, and discourages private investment in the non-extractive sectors that Ghana’s diversification depends on,” he said.
The assessment comes as Ghana records a strong recovery. The economy grew by 6.0% in 2025, its fastest since 2019, before accelerating to 6.4% in the first quarter of 2026.
Inflation has declined sharply from 23.2% in February 2025 to 4.6% currently, while public debt dropped from 70.3% of GDP in 2024 to 49% at the end of 2025.
However, the World Bank cautioned that these gains remain vulnerable if structural constraints are not addressed.
Transport In Shambles
The Bank identified transport as a critical bottleneck. Of Ghana’s approximately 94,200-kilometre road network, only 27% is paved, while more than half is in fair to poor condition, with feeder roads particularly affected.
It said poor connectivity is limiting productivity, competitiveness and job creation, and undermining efforts to diversify beyond gold and cocoa.
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