President John Dramani Mahama has said Ghana is poised to enter a new phase of accelerated growth and expansion, following what he described as the successful laying of a strong economic foundation after a year of difficult but necessary reforms.
In his New Year message to the nation on Wednesday, 1 January 2026, the President said the progress recorded in 2025 must now be consolidated to deliver what he termed “the Ghana we want”, stressing that the next phase of development will demand discipline, focus and collective national effort.
“As satisfying as our achievements of 2025 are, they are but the foundation. The architecture of the Ghana we want must now be built on this foundation,” President Mahama said.
Reflecting on the state of the economy, the President pointed to improvements in key macroeconomic indicators after years of instability. He said inflation, which stood at more than 23 per cent at the end of 2024, had fallen significantly, with the government optimistic of closing 2025 with single-digit inflation, slightly above five per cent.
He also highlighted improved performance of the cedi, noting that Ghana has achieved what he described as “relative currency stability”. According to him, the country is on course to be ranked among the world’s best-performing currencies by the end of 2025, a development he attributed to renewed confidence in economic management.
President Mahama said these gains have helped to revive business confidence, leading to increased domestic and foreign direct investment, while opening up new opportunities for young people through faster economic growth.
On the international front, the President said Ghana has restored its standing with global partners, particularly through the successful renegotiation of its debt obligations.
“We have restored Ghana’s credibility with international partners, completed the renegotiation of our debt obligations on terms that protect our sovereignty while ensuring sustainability,” he said.
He added that the country has begun steps towards exiting the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, insisting Ghana is doing so “with dignity, not as supplicants, but as partners”.
The President’s New Year address sought to reassure Ghanaians that the most difficult phase of the economic recovery is over, while signalling a more ambitious period of governance focused on growth and expansion.
As 2026 begins, President Mahama called on citizens to remain united and committed, stressing that sustained national progress will depend not only on government policies but also on the collective efforts of all Ghanaians.