Ghana has made significant progress in reducing multidimensional poverty, with over 360,000 people escaping deprivation between mid and late 2025. According to the Quarterly Multidimensional Poverty Report for 2024 to 2025 Q3, the national poverty headcount fell from 24.9% in the last quarter of 2024 to 21.9% by the third quarter of 2025. This translates to a decline from 8.2 million to approximately 7 million people classified as multidimensionally poor.
Despite this positive trend, the data reveals profound and persistent inequalities between rural and urban areas, as well as staggering regional disparities. Rural poverty incidence stands at 31.9%, more than double the urban rate of 14.2%, highlighting a significant gap exceeding 17 percentage points. Regional inequalities are even more extreme, with the North East and Savannah Regions recording the highest poverty incidence, exceeding 50% in both Q2 and Q3 2025.
The report identifies health and living conditions as the dominant forces driving poverty, collectively accounting for over 74% of poverty’s composition. Lack of health insurance is the single largest contributor, followed by nutrition and employment deprivation. The data also underscores the protective value of education and stable work, with poverty incidence highest among households whose heads have no formal education.
To address these challenges, the report recommends priority actions, including expanding National Health Insurance Scheme coverage, accelerating investment in sanitation and safe water, strengthening school retention programs, and scaling up skills development. By targeting these areas, Ghana can continue to reduce multidimensional poverty and promote equitable development.
