Greater Accra dominates Ghana's secured credit market with 77.8% share in H1 2026

Ghana's financial landscape reveals stark regional inequalities in access to secured credit, with Greater Accra overwhelming other regions by holding nearly four-fifths of all collateralised lending in the first half of 2026. According to the Bank of Ghana's half-year Collateral Registry, the capital region accounted for GH¢24.5 billion, equivalent to 77.8% of total secured credit as of 30th June 2026—a concentration that underscores the persistent centralisation of Ghana's financial services and economic activity.

Regional distribution reveals deep financial divide

The disparity between Greater Accra and the rest of Ghana is striking. Ashanti Region, the second-largest financial hub, secured only 10.8% of total credit amounting to GH¢3.4 billion. The Western, Eastern and Central Regions trailed significantly with 3.6%, 1.0% and 0.9% respectively, highlighting how Ghana's financial system remains heavily concentrated in its major urban centres.

When examining the number of individual security interest registrations—a measure of lending activity frequency—the picture shifts slightly. Ashanti Region recorded the highest volume with 27,627 registrations (30.0% of the national total), whilst Greater Accra followed with 21,736 registrations (23.6%). This suggests that whilst Greater Accra handles larger individual credit amounts, Ashanti processes more lending transactions overall, though still commanding significantly less total credit value.

The eight highest-performing regions recorded volumes exceeding 2,000 registrations each. Central, Eastern and Western regions followed with 10,565, 8,170 and 7,869 registrations respectively. Notably, four regions registered volumes below 500, with Oti Region recording the lowest at just 153 registrations, underlining the challenge of financial access in less economically developed areas.

Collateral types and credit trends

The composition of registered collateral provides insight into lending patterns. A total of 117,428 assets were registered as collateral during H1 2026, representing a concerning 25.8% year-on-year decline from 158,298 assets in the same period of 2025. This downturn suggests potential tightening in credit availability or reduced economic activity requiring collateralised borrowing.

Movable assets dominated collateral registrations at 79.1% of the total, with immovable assets comprising only 2.6%. Cash collateral remained the most frequently pledged type with 80,673 registrations (68.7%), followed by inventory and stock of goods (8.5%), company and business assets (7.9%), and consumer goods (3.9%). The prevalence of cash and inventory collateral reflects both the nature of Ghana's trading economy and potential challenges in valuing or accepting physical property as security.

Why it matters for Ghana

The concentration of secured credit in Greater Accra has significant implications for Ghana's development agenda. Regional financial imbalances limit entrepreneurship and investment opportunities outside the capital, potentially perpetuating rural-urban inequality and brain drain to urban centres. Small and medium enterprises in regions like Oti, Upper East, Upper West and Northern Ghana face structural disadvantages in accessing formal credit, pushing them towards informal lending markets with higher costs.

The 25.8% decline in registered assets year-on-year raises questions about credit market health post-2025. This could reflect stricter lending standards by financial institutions following previous economic challenges, reduced borrower demand, or economic contraction in the formal sector. For policymakers, these statistics highlight the urgent need for financial inclusion initiatives and regional development strategies to broaden access to credit beyond Greater Accra and support Ghana's balanced growth objectives.