On October 7, 2026, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama introduced the 'Easy Rent' scheme as a solution to the country's rent advance crisis, which has long been a headache for Ghanaian tenants. Under the proposed arrangement, the government would pay a worker's rent advance directly, with the beneficiary repaying the amount in monthly installments. This announcement came just a day after Mahama ordered a GH¢1 billion budget line for a new national housing fund.
A review of the 'Easy Rent' concept reveals that it closely mirrors the National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS), which was launched by then-Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on January 31, 2023. The NRAS was built on the same premise: any Ghanaian aged 18 or older with a valid Ghana Card and verifiable income could qualify for a loan disbursed within five to ten working days. The money went straight into the landlord's bank account, while the beneficiary repaid the loan gradually.
The Akufo-Addo government backed NRAS with GH¢30 million in seed funding and rolled it out across six regions: Greater Accra, Ashanti, Western, Eastern, Bono East, and Northern. These regions were chosen because data showed renters there struggled most with upfront rent demands. According to then-Works and Housing Minister Francis Asenso-Boakye, between January and October 2023, the scheme disbursed GH¢13,785,591 to 1,105 Ghanaians across the six operational regions.
A side-by-side comparison of the two initiatives reveals no meaningful difference in concept, target group, or delivery method. Both are aimed at Ghanaian workers with regular income, both seek to eliminate the lump-sum rent advance burden, both pay landlords directly, and both are repaid through installments. The only distinguishing feature appears to be the name change from National Rental Assistance Scheme to Easy Rent.
The similarity between the two schemes has prompted questions about whether the new administration has simply relabelled an existing programme rather than designed something original. No government official has publicly clarified whether Easy Rent is meant to expand NRAS's reach, absorb its existing infrastructure, or operate as a standalone replacement.
For ordinary Ghanaian renters, particularly young workers in cities like Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale, the practical question is simple: will Easy Rent reach more people, faster, than NRAS managed in its first years of operation? With only 1,105 beneficiaries recorded under NRAS by October 2023 against a national housing demand that runs into hundreds of thousands of units, the scale of any relief will matter as much as its name.
The Mahama government has not provided a timeline for the rollout of Easy Rent, nor details on funding allocation, eligibility criteria, or whether it will absorb the existing NRAS portal and database. As the story continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the success of Easy Rent will depend on its ability to address the pressing concerns of Ghanaian renters and provide tangible relief from the rent advance crisis.
Key points
- The 'Easy Rent' scheme bears striking resemblance to the National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS) launched by Mahamudu Bawumia in 2023.
- The similarity between the two schemes has raised questions about whether the new administration has relabelled an existing programme rather than designed something original.
- The success of Easy Rent will depend on its ability to address the pressing concerns of Ghanaian renters and provide tangible relief from the rent advance crisis.
