What to Expect in Ghana's Politics for 2026: Voting, Corruption and Leadership Changes
YEN.com.gh looks at the top 10 political stories Ghanaians should be looking out for in 2026
Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
After the relative calm of a transition year for a new government, 2026 is expected to be packed on the political front as Ghanaians look to see several political promises from the Mahama administration crystallise.
From the corruption fight to the leadership of political parties, YEN.com.gh has broken down the leading political narratives to keep an eye on in the new year.
Source: Facebook
Political stories likely impacting Ghana in 2026
NPP Presidential Primary
By the end of January 2026, Ghanaians will know who the New Patriotic Party will field as its presidential candidate in 2028. The primary set to be held on January 31 - a little over a year after the NPP lost the 2024 election - has Mahamudu Bawumia as the leading candidate in a field of five, according to a Facebook post by Global InfoAnalytics.
The other candidates in the race are Kennedy Agyapong, Bryan Acheampong, Yaw Osei-Adutwum, and Kwabena Agyei Agyapong. What will follow the primary are the NPP’s attempts to unify the party ahead of the 2028 election, in which the National Democratic Congress will be seeking a normally guaranteed second successive term.
Ken Ofori-Atta's fate
The fate of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta remains a hot topic amid attempts by the Special Prosecutor to extradite him from the US, as he is being investigated for alleged corruption in five different cases.
On November 18, the former minister was formally charged by the special prosecutor in the Strategic Mobilisation Ghana scandal and is currently fighting to have an INTERPOL red notice removed.
In a statement on Facebook, the special prosecutor noted that the notice had been redacted from public view because of a challenge from Ofori-Atta being assessed.
Fate of the Special Prosecutor
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyabeng, is currently facing three petitions for his removal, which the president has forwarded to the Chief Justice.
He has been criticised for the lack of outcomes of his office and almost had to contend with a bill pushing for the scrapping of the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
The reasons for the petitions against Agyabeng are yet to be made public.
Jean Mensa facing the sack
Like Agyabeng, Jean Mensa is also facing petitions arguing for her removal as Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.
Seven petitions were filed against her and her two deputies, Dr Bossman Eric Asare, who is in charge of Corporate, and Samuel Tettey, in charge of Operations.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission and the deputies have the same conditions of service as those of Justices of the superior courts and have the same removal processes.
Only one petitioner against Mensa is currently known, with one Joseph Blankson Adumadzie citing alleged misconduct on her part that threatens the credibility of Ghana’s electoral system.
Sustained performance of the economy
Ghana is coming off a 2025 in which it recorded overwhelmingly positive macroeconomic indicators across the board. After inheriting an economy weighed down by inflation above 23%, interest rates north of 30%, and a sharply depreciating cedi, the Mahama administration entered 2026.
Inflation stands at 6.3% as of November 2025, the lowest since February 2019. Treasury bill rates plunged from over 30% at end-2024 to about 11% in 2025. For the first time in many years, the cedi recorded an annual appreciation against all major currencies, including 40.7% against the US dollar.
Trade balance posted a surplus of US$8.5 billion by the end of October 2025, up from US$2.8 billion a year earlier. Ghanaians will be looking to see whether the Mahama administration can improve or maintain these figures.
Legalisation of Okada
Amid the increasing road crashes, Ghana will be entering its first year with commercial motorbikes legalised. It remains to be seen if this has a positive bearing on the road safety situation.
The National Road Safety Authority said there were 5,503 motorcycles involved in crashes between January and October 2025, up from 4,452 during the corresponding period in 2024.
Motorcycles now account for 26.6 per cent of all vehicles involved in crashes, an increase from 23.6% the previous year.
Growth of the 24-hour economy
The 24-hour economy was a flagship promise by the Mahama administration on its way to winning the 2024 election. There was not much by way of clarity or implementation on the policy in 2025. After a full year in office, the expectation is that there will be some tangible strides in the implementation of this marquee policy.
NDC flagbearer race
By the end of 2026, Ghanaians will likely have a clearer picture of the leading candidates looking to replace John Mahama as the NDC’s presidential candidate.
The party will likely have its primary process in 2027, and the politicians with real ambitions will make their intentions pretty clear in the coming year as the primary process draws closer and factions begin to emerge within the governing party.
Source: Facebook
Drawing on polling data from Global InfoAnalytics, the five leading candidates in the race are Haruna Iddrisu, the current education minister; Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the NDC national chairman; Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson; Julius Debrah, the current chief of staff; and Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
The anti-LGBTQ bill
The legislators pushing the anti-gay legislation will look to push their Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill through Parliament and potentially to the president for assent after failing under the Akufo-Addo administration.
As the bill, which has been introduced, makes progress, it remains to be seen if it will face similar legal challenges as before. President Mahama has, however, said that he would sign the bill if it is passed.
ORAL adventures
The Mahama administration has made a lot of noise about prosecuting corruption and paraded several suspects from the Akufo-Addo administration amid its Operation Recover All Loot mantra. While prosecution has begun for some, Ghanaians will be keenly watching to see how the Mahama administration balances the ideas of ensuring justice and recovering looted state funds.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
