New figures from the Bank of Ghana show that Greater Accra accounts for the overwhelming bulk of registered secured credit in Ghana. As of 30 June 2026, the region recorded GH¢24.5 billion in secured credit, representing 77.8% of the national total. This significant disparity highlights the uneven distribution of secured lending across the country. The Bank of Ghana's half-year 2026 Collateral Registry report provides insights into the secured credit market, revealing a substantial gap between Greater Accra and other regions.
The Ashanti Region comes a distant second in terms of secured credit value, with a 10.8% share worth GH¢3.4 billion. In contrast, Western, Eastern, and Central regions trail far behind, accounting for just 3.6%, 1.0%, and 0.9% of secured credit value, respectively. The data also shows that lenders based outside Ghana advanced GH¢1.1 billion, or 3.4% of the total, to borrowers domiciled in Ghana, with the loans secured against assets located in the country. This highlights the limited access to secured credit for businesses and individuals in regions outside Greater Accra.
When it comes to the number of transactions, Ashanti Region leads the country in registrations, with 27,627 entries representing 30.0% of the national total. Greater Accra follows with 21,736 registrations, or 23.6%. Central, Eastern, and Western regions recorded 10,565, 8,170, and 7,869 registrations, respectively. Oti Region recorded the fewest registrations among the regions tracked. The difference in rankings between value and volume highlights varying levels of secured credit utilization across regions.
The Collateral Registry, a Bank of Ghana database, records security interests when loans are secured against assets. The system aims to make it easier for lenders to verify that an asset offered as collateral is not already pledged elsewhere and for borrowers to use movable assets to access credit. The registry provides valuable insights into the secured credit market, enabling policymakers to identify areas for improvement.
According to the Bank of Ghana's data, cash collateral remains the most commonly pledged category nationally, used in 68.7% of all registrations. Inventory or stock of goods, company and business assets, and consumer or household goods account for 8.5%, 7.9%, and 3.9%, respectively. A total of 117,428 assets were registered as collateral in the second quarter of 2026, a 25.8% decline from the 158,298 recorded a year earlier.
The concentration of secured lending in Greater Accra points to a wider gap in access to formal credit for businesses and individuals outside the capital. Regions such as Central, Eastern, and Oti, where registration volumes and values remain comparatively small, face significant challenges in accessing secured credit. The disparity may reflect fewer opportunities to use assets as collateral to unlock financing compared with those operating in or near Accra.
The Bank of Ghana has not indicated any planned intervention to address the regional imbalance, and no timeline has been given for the next Collateral Registry update. The significant disparity in secured credit distribution highlights the need for policymakers to address the issue and promote more equitable access to formal credit across the country.
Key points
- Greater Accra accounts for 77.8% of Ghana's secured credit market.
- Ashanti Region leads in the number of secured credit transactions.
- Cash collateral is the most commonly pledged category in secured credit transactions.
