GSS Report: Over 360,000 Ghanaians Exited Poverty in 2025

• Over 300,000 Ghanaians exited multidimensional poverty in Q3 2025, according to the Ghana Statistical Service
• The national poverty headcount dropped from 24.9% in late 2024 to 21.9% by Q3 2025
• Despite progress, significant rural-urban and regional disparities persist, with health and living conditions driving deprivation

Over 300,000 Ghanaians exited poverty in the third quarter of 2025, according to the latest figures released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

This indicates that Ghana has made significant progress in reducing multidimensional poverty over the past year, with approximately 360,000 people escaping deprivation between mid and late 2025.

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According to the GSS report released on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, there are still persistent inequalities between rural and urban areas, with staggering regional disparities.

This, according to the GSS, threatens to delay broader national gains.

Presenting the Quarterly Multidimensional Poverty Report for 2024 to 2025 Q3 at a press conference on January 21, Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu disclosed that the national poverty headcount fell from 24.9 percent in the last quarter of 2024 to 21.9 percent by the third quarter of 2025.

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This represents a decline from 8.2 million to "a little over 7 million people" classified as multidimensionally poor.

"Encouragingly, over 360,000 people moved out of multidimensional poverty between Q2 and Q3 of 2025 alone, confirming a sustained decline in poverty over the period," portions of the GSS report were quoted in a Graphic Online report.

Despite this positive outlook, Dr. Iddrisu indicated that the data paints a picture of a nation developing at two distinct speeds.

He added that the rural-urban gap remains significant, with rural poverty incidence at 31.9 percent in Q3 2025, more than double the urban rate of 14.2 percent—a gap exceeding 17 percentage points.

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Read the Facebook post below:

Regional breakdown of GSS report

"North East and Savannah Regions recorded the highest poverty incidence, exceeding 50 percent in both Q2 and Q3 2025, while Greater Accra and Western Regions remained below 20 percent," the report added.

In terms of raw numbers, the GSS report indicated that the highly populated Ashanti and Northern Regions each have over one million multidimensionally poor citizens.

With regard to the core drivers of ongoing deprivation, health and living conditions remain the dominant forces.

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According to the GSS report, these driving forces collectively account for over 74 percent of poverty's composition.

It added that lack of health insurance is the largest contributor at 26.5 percent, followed by nutrition, which stands at 14.4 percent, and employment deprivation, which records 12.3 percent.

The GSS report also raised alarm over what it described as "emerging pressures" outside the health sector.

These, it said, include a near-doubling of overcrowding deprivation and rising school attendance deprivation between Q2 and Q3 2025.

Watch the Facebook video below:

Netizens reaction GSS poverty report

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Ghanaians on social media have reacted to the GSS report. YEN.com.gh compiled a few of the comments below:

@Kwadwo Boadi said:

"Have you guys forgotten that death too is an exit route?"

@Tom Jay also said:

"Where are they and can we know the exit procedure if any?"

@Nii Teiko Okine commented:

"FX stability, lower fuel prices and easing inflation are improving real disposable incomes. Facts."

@Kwame Ampeh also commented:

"How many are remaining? We need that data too."

Youth unemployment rate hits 1.3 million

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Ghana's youth unemployment rate had reached alarming levels, with 1.3 million young people aged 15-24 out of work, school, or training.

The Minister for Youth Development, George Opare Addo, warned that rising unemployment poses a national security threat to Ghana.

The NDC in its 2024 election campaign, promised to create 1.7 million jobs through a 24-hour economy policy, but its success remains to be seen.

Source: YEN.com.gh