Ghana targets improved financial health as 81% of adults hold financial accounts – BoG

The Bank of Ghana has identified improving the financial health of households, workers and small businesses as the next priority in the country’s financial inclusion drive, following progress that has seen 81 per cent of adults gain access to financial accounts.

The central bank says Ghana has become one of Africa’s leading digital financial inclusion success stories, supported by expanding access to financial accounts, strong digital payments infrastructure and a growing fintech ecosystem.

The 81 per cent account ownership figure is contained in the World Bank’s Global Findex Database 2025.

In a statement announcing the upcoming visit of Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the Bank of Ghana said improving financial health was now the next stage of the country’s financial inclusion journey.

“Strengthening financial health is the next stage of Ghana’s financial inclusion journey,” the central bank stated.

Queen Máxima, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA), is expected to visit the Bank of Ghana on November 4 and 5, 2026, to discuss the country’s progress and policy priorities in the sector.

She will hold a bilateral meeting with the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, to review developments in financial inclusion and digital finance.

The discussions will also examine regulatory priorities for improving the financial health of households, workers and small businesses.

The Bank of Ghana and Queen Máxima will co-host a Roundtable on Financial Health, bringing together senior representatives from banks, electronic money issuers, payment services providers, insurers, pension providers, regulators and development partners.

According to the central bank, the discussions will examine how Ghana measures financial health, as well as innovation in savings, responsible credit, insurance, pensions and investment.

The role of workplaces in supporting employees and encouraging collective action across the financial sector will also feature.

The visit follows discussions between Queen Máxima, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and the Bank of Ghana Governor during the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group.

Reaffirming its commitment to the agenda, the Bank of Ghana stated, “The Bank of Ghana remains committed to a safe and inclusive financial system that supports the financial health of all Ghanaians and the growth of the economy.”