The inflation gap between Ghana’s regions widened sharply in April 2025, with the Upper West Region recording a headline inflation rate of 37.1%, the highest in the country, while the Volta Region posted the lowest at 18.3%, according to data from the Ghana Statistical Service.
In March, the Upper West recorded an inflation rate of 36.2%, which was driven largely by significant hikes in food and essential goods, approximately a 2.5% increase between March and April. The Volta region also recorded a rate of 18.9% in a relatively milder inflationary environment.
The national year-on-year inflation rate stood at 21.2%, but regional variations reflected deeper structural and market imbalances, especially in food supply and logistics. Upper West’s elevated rate is largely attributed to surging food prices, particularly for high-weight items in the CPI basket such as tubers, vegetables, and plantains, which have faced seasonal shortages and transport constraints.
By contrast, the Volta Region benefited from relatively stable pricing dynamics, supported by better local harvest conditions and improved distribution networks.
These sharp regional disparities underscore the need for localized inflation diagnostics and interventions, the CPI report emphasized, pointing to targeted agricultural and infrastructure investments as key to addressing uneven inflation pressures.
Other regions with above-average inflation included Northern, North East, and Savannah, which also rely heavily on road transport and cross-border trade, sectors sensitive to fuel prices and currency fluctuations.
“The disparities further call for a closer monitoring of regional food markets and accelerated implementation of the Agriculture for Transformation Programme, aimed at improving domestic food production and reducing regional price volatility,” the report noted.
As policymakers weigh inflation trends heading into the second half of the year, regional dynamics are expected to inform both fiscal allocations and social intervention strategies, particularly in the most affected northern belts.
