GHANA · ECONOMY
More than seven in 10 respondents to a pre-budget survey by KPMG, a global accounting and advisory firm, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) want jobs and youth employment at the top of Ghana’s 2027 Budget. The survey, published on Wednesday 11 November 2026, puts the figure at 71%, with the cost of living second at 54%.
Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson presents the budget to Parliament on Thursday 12 November 2026. For US investors in Ghana’s bonds, gold and cocoa, the survey is an early read on what voters and firms expect from it.
Key Facts
- Survey KPMG and UNDP polled citizens and businesses on the 2027 Budget; results came out 11 November.
- Top priority 71% put jobs and youth employment first; 54% pick cost of living; 34% pick electricity.
- Budget day Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson presents the 2027 Budget on Thursday 12 November.
- Concerns 36% rate power supply as reliable, and 44% have low confidence in how efficiently government spends.
- Backdrop Inflation was 5.5% in October, up from 5.2% in September.
Households want the economy’s recovery to show up in paychecks and prices. Firms want cheaper credit, steadier power and tax changes announced well ahead.
What Citizens Want From the Budget
After jobs at 71% and the cost of living at 54%, electricity supply came third with 34% of respondents. Another 22% asked for stronger action against illegal mining, known locally as galamsey.
Some 90% of respondents said illegal mining damages the business environment. The survey drew on citizens, businesses and focus group discussions.
What Businesses Want
Among businesses, 59% ranked growth and competitiveness first and 58% ranked job creation close behind. Access to finance was a major constraint for 36%, and 32% named infrastructure as a priority.
About nine in ten said advance notice of tax changes is important for planning, and the report calls for at least four months’ warning. The report also says complicated filing, payments to several authorities and short-notice changes are the biggest tax hurdles.
Only 36% described the power supply as reliable. The report’s authors want the government’s 24-Hour Economy programme, a push for round-the-clock production, and its New Economy plan turned into real investment.
Why the Jobs Message Lands Now
Earlier this week the Finance Minister warned in Kumasi, at a meeting with the National House of Chiefs, the national council of traditional rulers, that unaddressed youth unemployment could become a social crisis. He said the economy must shift towards industrialisation and production to absorb a growing workforce.
The Ghana Statistical Service, the official data agency, reported that inflation rose to 5.5% in October from 5.2% in September. That is lower than the 8.0% of October 2025, yet the survey shows living costs remain a worry for more than half of respondents.
What the Report Recommends
KPMG and UNDP list four priorities for the 2027 Budget. The first is enterprise growth through affordable finance and predictable taxes, and the second is turning the 24-Hour Economy and New Economy plans into productive investment.
The third is better value from public spending with tighter financial discipline, and the fourth is protecting natural resources while speeding up green investment. Coverage of the survey does not give a total sample size.
What It Means for You
Investors should watch whether Thursday’s budget answers the jobs and power complaints with spending, or with promises. Ghana completed its US$3 billion programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the global lender, this year, so the budget is also a test of fiscal discipline after the programme’s end.
Readers can follow the story in our budget day report and our report on the 2027 minimum wage. Related reading includes our October inflation report, the IMF programme explainer and the Ghana hub.
What Is Not Known
The coverage we have seen does not give the survey’s total sample size or fieldwork dates. We therefore cannot say how closely the 71% reflects all Ghanaians.
It is also not known whether the 2027 Budget will adopt any of the four recommendations. That becomes clear when the Finance Minister speaks on Thursday 12 November.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the KPMG and UNDP survey say about the 2027 Budget?
It says 71% of respondents want jobs and youth employment prioritised, and 54% name the cost of living. Another 34% name electricity supply.
When is Ghana’s 2027 Budget presented?
Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson presents it to Parliament on Thursday 12 November 2026. Parliament then debates and approves it before the financial year begins.
What is galamsey?
Galamsey is the local name for illegal small-scale gold mining in Ghana. In the survey, 22% of respondents want stronger action against it.
Sources: KPMG Ghana and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 2027 pre-budget survey report, 11 November 2026; Ghana Statistical Service, consumer price inflation for October 2026; Ministry of Finance of Ghana (budget date); remarks by Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson to the National House of Chiefs, Kumasi, November 2026.
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