President John Dramani Mahama has declared that Ghana is on track to successfully exit its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme by April 2026, emphasising that the country will do so “with dignity” as a partner rather than a supplicant.
Delivering his remarks at the Ghana–Zambia Business Dialogue in Lusaka, Zambia, on Thursday, President Mahama highlighted the remarkable turnaround in the country’s macroeconomic indicators, driven by disciplined fiscal reforms and renewed investor confidence.
He pointed to the significant drop in inflation — from over 23.4 per cent at the end of 2024 to just 3.8 per cent in January 2026 — as well as the strengthening of foreign reserves and the impressive appreciation of the Ghanaian cedi.
“The cedi appreciated by 32 per cent in 2025, ranking among the world’s five best-performing currencies,” President Mahama stated.
The President attributed these gains to the government’s strategic focus on resetting the economy through five key pillars: industrialisation and value addition; export-led growth; modern infrastructure development; robust support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), women and youth entrepreneurs; and the creation of a predictable, transparent, and investor-friendly business environment.
“We have restructured our debt to invest in people, not just to service loans. This is what ‘Resetting Ghana’ means, and it is delivering results,” he said.
President Mahama stressed that Ghana has renegotiated its debt obligations on terms that safeguard national sovereignty and ensure long-term sustainability.
“We are steadily exiting the IMF’s Extended Credit Facility with dignity as partners, not as supplicants,” he emphasised.
The improving economic outlook, according to the President, positions Ghana to deepen trade and investment ties, particularly within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), while contributing to broader regional stability and integration.
Addressing his Zambian audience, President Mahama described Zambia as a natural and complementary economic partner, citing strong potential for collaboration in mining, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, value-chain development, and bilateral trade expansion.
The remarks form part of President Mahama’s ongoing state visit to Zambia, during which he addressed the Zambian Parliament and signed several Memoranda of Understanding to strengthen Ghana-Zambia cooperation.
The President reiterated his administration’s commitment to building a self-reliant, prosperous Ghana that leads by example in Africa’s journey toward economic sovereignty and collective progress.