Ghana has made significant strides in creating a favorable regulatory environment for businesses, yet operational inefficiencies continue to pose challenges that could limit the country’s competitiveness, the World Bank has warned.
Speaking at a high-level B READY 2026 working session in Accra on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Subika Farazi, Senior Economist in the World Bank’s Business Ready unit, lauded Ghana’s regulatory framework while cautioning that weaknesses in policy implementation and operational efficiency remain significant obstacles.
The B READY 2026 assessment reveals that Ghana’s business readiness scores vary across sectors, ranging from 72% in financial services to 34% in market competition. While these results underscore strong regulatory foundations, they also highlight gaps in translating policies into effective practice.
Farazi noted that, compared with regional peers, Ghana’s regulatory pillar remains a standout strength.
"When compared with other economies in the region, Ghana’s regulatory performance is the strongest. Even in public services, Ghana ranks just behind Togo and outperforms most other peers," she said.
However, the economist emphasized that operational efficiency continues to lag, with several peer economies, including Togo, Senegal, Cameroon, and Cape Verde, outperforming Ghana in this critical area.
At the sectoral level, Ghana performed well in financial services, labor, and business entry, positioning the country among the top regional performers.
"Overall, Ghana’s business readiness ranges from 72% in financial services to 34% in market competition. The country demonstrates strong performance in financial services and labor topics, placing it among the leading economies in the region for these areas," Farazi explained.
Despite regulatory progress, international trade efficiency remains a pressing challenge. Delays in export and import clearance continue to hinder competitiveness, with Ghana averaging 9 to 23 days for clearance compared to 5 to 8 days in Cameroon.
The working session convened senior government officials, private sector leaders, and World Bank representatives to discuss critical constraints in food processing, light manufacturing, and trade facilitation, key priority areas under the government’s 24H⺠programme.
The World Bank concluded that the B READY findings provide actionable, data-driven insights to guide Ghana’s reform agenda, helping to improve operational efficiency, stimulate private sector growth, and strengthen the country’s competitiveness regionally and globally.
