Businesses Eye 2026 Budget for Relief on Interest Rates, Support for 24-Hour Economy
As preparations for Ghana’s 2026–2029 Budget gather pace, business groups are making a fresh push for measures that will ease the cost of doing business and spur economic activity.
The Ministry of Finance has set August 29, 2025 as the deadline for receiving public submissions, calling on trade unions, professional bodies, civil society, and the general public to contribute ideas. Officials say input from stakeholders has in the past played a key role in shaping national budgets, with this year’s presentation expected in Parliament on November 15.
For the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), the top priority is lowering the cost of credit. Public Relations Officer Joseph Paddy says while recent declines in inflation and the central bank’s policy rate are welcome, they have yet to translate into affordable lending rates for businesses.
“We want a fixed margin perhaps 5% or 6% between the policy rate and the commercial lending rate. Without that, businesses still face prohibitively high financing costs,” he explained, adding that port charges also need review to help companies stay tax compliant.
The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) is also preparing proposals, with its Greater Accra Regional Chairman, Tsonam Akpeloo, calling for targeted incentives to drive the government’s flagship 24-hour economy policy.
“The programme needs more than just a policy statement. We’re asking for concrete commitments tax rebates, holidays, and affordable financing options to make it workable for industry,” Akpeloo noted.
Stakeholder consultations are expected to intensify in the coming weeks as the Finance Ministry collates suggestions to feed into the final budget.
