Remittance inflows to Ghana have overtaken foreign direct investment, underlining the growing role of the diaspora in supporting the country’s economy.
Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Asiama, disclosed that Ghana recorded nearly $7.8 billion in remittances by the end of 2025, a significant increase from the approximately $4.6 billion recorded in 2024.
Speaking at a roundtable on the “Central Bank Bridge: Remit2Invest” initiative in the United States on Sunday, April 19, 2026, Dr. Asiama said remittances now account for about six per cent of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product.
According to him, the strong rise in remittance inflows was driven largely by Ghanaians living abroad, especially those in the United States, which remains the country’s largest single source of remittances.
Dr. Asiama noted that the steady growth in remittances highlights their importance not only as a source of household support but also as a key pillar of Ghana’s external sector.
He said the Bank of Ghana was working to transform remittance inflows into formal foreign exchange and channel them into productive investments through the financial system.
“Our objective is to engage the diaspora and convert remittance flows into investable capital through the financial system,” he stated.
The Governor also pointed to recent improvements in Ghana’s macroeconomic conditions, including lower inflation, a more stable cedi and stronger gross international reserves.
He said these developments were helping to improve investor confidence and strengthen the resilience of the economy.
Dr. Asiama described the Ghanaian diaspora as a strategic national asset, saying it remained an important source of foreign exchange, technology transfer and access to global capital markets.
He stressed the need for Ghana to move away from a remittance model focused mainly on consumption and instead encourage investment-oriented diaspora financing.
“The diaspora is not only a source of remittances, but also a bridge to innovation, technology and international investment,” he added.
