President John Dramani Mahama delivered his 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) to Parliament on Friday, February 27, 2026. This was his second SONA in his current term, focusing on economic recovery, fiscal improvements, sectoral reforms, and forward-looking priorities under his administration’s “Reset” agenda.
He emphasized turning around inherited challenges and positioning Ghana for accelerated growth, famously declaring “Ghana is back” and “working again,” and urging citizens to “fasten your seatbelts” as the nation enters “takeoff mode.”
Economic Recovery and Achievements:
Mahama highlighted significant progress from the severe distress inherited, including high debt, inflation, and currency depreciation.
Key highlights include:
- GDP grew from $83 billion in 2024 to an expected $113 billion in 2025, propelling Ghana into Africa’s top 10 economies. Average GDP growth of 6.1% in the first three quarters of 2025. Primary fiscal surplus of 2.6% of GDP (exceeding the 1.5% target), and overall deficit reduced to 3.1%.
Public debt reduced from 61.8% to 45.3% of GDP (a GH¢82.1 billion decline). Inflation dropped sharply to 3.8% in January 2026 (from much higher levels previously). - Cedi appreciated by 40.7% against the US dollar, 30.9% against the pound, and 24% against the euro.
Gross international reserves rose to $13.8 billion (covering 5.7 months of imports), with a current account surplus of $9.1 billion. - About 1 million jobs created in 2025, and 950,000 people lifted out of multidimensional poverty.
- Tax relief measures (removal of E-Levy, betting tax, emissions tax; VAT reduced to 20%) returned ~GH¢6 billion to households/businesses; interest rates fell from over 30% to ~18%.
He stressed these as evidence of “promise keeping” rather than mere prudence, with credit rating upgrades from agencies like Fitch, Moody’s, and S&P reflecting restored investor confidence.
Energy Sector Reforms:
A major announcement was sweeping changes yielding $250 million in immediate savings through negotiations with nine Independent Power Producers (IPPs), plus restructuring of ~$1 billion in legacy debt over 36 months. He addressed inefficiencies (only 52% of injected energy collected due to losses) and outlined steps for sustainable gas procurement and stable electricity generation.
President Mahama Promises To Make Agriculture Attractive Again In Ghana
24-Hour Economy and Job Creation:
Mahama celebrated the recent assent to the 24-Hour Economy Authority Bill (2025/2026), transitioning his flagship policy into law with GHS 110 million allocated. It targets 1.7 million jobs by extending productive hours, boosting output, and supporting investment across sectors.
Other Sectoral Updates:
Fuel prices: reduced significantly (e.g., petrol below GHS 10/litre from GHS 15.20).
Education: Increased daily feeding grant for special schools from GHS 8 to GHS 15.
Infrastructure: Ghana described as a “massive construction site” under the Big Push agenda, with 50 major road projects (1,144 km) underway.
Broader priorities include agriculture modernization for food self-sufficiency, renewable energy expansion to 30% of the mix, social housing via PPPs, digitalized education, and universal health coverage progress.
Mahama contrasted inherited “national malice” with current stability, calling for continued resilience and unity. He ended on an optimistic note: “Our nation is on the brink of takeoff… fasten your seatbelts,” signaling shared acceleration toward prosperity.
Reactions varied, with supporters praising the turnaround and critics (including some opposition responses) questioning aspects or calling it disappointing. The address aligns with constitutional requirements under Article 67, outlining progress and the year’s policy direction. For the full speech, refer to official parliamentary or media livestream archives.