Imports of goods and services in Ghana
Ghana: Imports of goods and services was 33.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Imports of goods and services in Ghana, 1960–2024
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 33.9% for imports of goods and services in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.0% on the previous year and down 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Ghana peaked at 67.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 1982.
That places Ghana 124th out of 193 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 35.4% | — |
| 1961 | 36.5% | +2.8% |
| 1962 | 28.5% | -21.9% |
| 1963 | 27.5% | -3.6% |
| 1964 | 23.9% | -13.1% |
| 1965 | 26.7% | +12.0% |
| 1966 | 19.6% | -26.6% |
| 1967 | 19.9% | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 20.8% | +4.4% |
| 1969 | 20.3% | -2.3% |
| 1970 | 22.7% | +11.6% |
| 1971 | 20.2% | -10.9% |
| 1972 | 15.2% | -24.9% |
| 1973 | 16.4% | +7.8% |
| 1974 | 21.8% | +33.0% |
| 1975 | 18.4% | -15.4% |
| 1976 | 16.0% | -13.0% |
| 1977 | 11.5% | -28.0% |
| 1978 | 9.7% | -16.1% |
| 1979 | 11.2% | +15.2% |
| 1980 | 9.2% | -18.0% |
| 1981 | 5.3% | -41.9% |
| 1982 | 3.0% | -44.0% |
| 1983 | 6.0% | +100.8% |
| 1984 | 10.8% | +79.8% |
| 1985 | 13.6% | +26.2% |
| 1986 | 20.1% | +48.2% |
| 1987 | 26.2% | +30.0% |
| 1988 | 24.1% | -8.1% |
| 1989 | 24.3% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 25.9% | +6.2% |
| 1991 | 25.5% | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 28.8% | +12.7% |
| 1993 | 36.4% | +26.6% |
| 1994 | 36.8% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 32.9% | -10.4% |
| 1996 | 40.1% | +21.8% |
| 1997 | 53.0% | +32.2% |
| 1998 | 46.7% | -11.8% |
| 1999 | 49.6% | +6.2% |
| 2000 | 67.2% | +35.5% |
| 2001 | 64.8% | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 54.9% | -15.3% |
| 2003 | 56.6% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 60.4% | +6.6% |
| 2005 | 61.7% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 39.9% | -35.4% |
| 2007 | 40.8% | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 44.5% | +9.0% |
| 2009 | 42.3% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 45.9% | +8.5% |
| 2011 | 49.4% | +7.5% |
| 2012 | 52.8% | +7.0% |
| 2013 | 35.3% | -33.1% |
| 2014 | 35.6% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 42.7% | +19.9% |
| 2016 | 36.7% | -14.1% |
| 2017 | 36.7% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 34.5% | -5.9% |
| 2019 | 39.4% | +14.1% |
| 2020 | 35.1% | -11.0% |
| 2021 | 32.7% | -6.8% |
| 2022 | 35.5% | +8.6% |
| 2023 | 32.6% | -8.0% |
| 2024 | 33.9% | +4.0% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 33.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 41.9%, 81% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 33.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.0%, 1.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 25.9% | 19.6% | 36.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.3% | 9.7% | 22.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.3% | 3.0% | 26.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 37.6% | 25.5% | 53.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.3% | 39.9% | 67.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.9% | 34.5% | 52.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.9% | 32.6% | 35.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More economy & growth data for Ghana
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.15 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 38.84 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0003 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1.11 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 1.91 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 8.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0167 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 54.42 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 23.42 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services in Ghana?
- Imports of goods and services in Ghana was 33.9% in 2024, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 67.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 1982.
- How does Ghana rank for imports of goods and services?
- Ghana ranks 124th out of 193 countries with data for 2024.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Imports of goods includes change in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Imports of services includes services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.