While overall service inflation in Ghana is cooling, essentials like transport and food are still burning holes in consumers’ wallets. According to data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), March 2025 saw a slight relief in the Service Producer Price Index (S-PPI), but the numbers reveal quite a complex story beneath the surface.
Service prices rose 7.2% year-on-year in March, down from 7.8% in February. This indicates a modest easing of inflationary pressure. Yet, behind this national average lies steep inflation in specific areas that touch daily life.
First is The Transport and Storage sub-sector. This sub sector recorded a hefty 20.4% inflation rate, driven largely by land transport, which surged by 21.7%. Although it marks a slight drop from February’s 22.7%, it however shows that fuel prices especially and logistics bottlenecks are still weighing heavily on both consumers and businesses.
Fuel prices in Ghana for instance have since experienced some fluctuations in April 2025. At the beginning of April, petrol prices rose by 2% to GH¢15.20 per litre, and diesel increased by 1.1% to GH¢15.35 per litre, according to the National Petroleum Authority . However, from April 16, prices are beginning to see some marginal decrease: petrol dropped by 1.5% to GH¢14.88 per litre, diesel by 0.3% to GH¢15.50 per litre, and LPG by 0.3% to GH¢17.45 per kilogram.
In the accommodation and food space, inflation dropped more dramatically, from 29.1% in February to 22.6% in March, possibly hinting at some relief in supply chains or reduced demand pressures. Still, accommodation activities remained elevated at 23.1%, and food and beverage services saw prices climb 20.0%. What this basically means is that hotel stays and eating out remain costly for the average Ghanaian household.
Meanwhile, Information and Communication services continue to offer a rare pocket of price stability. The sub-sector saw only 4.1% inflation, the lowest among all measured categories. Telecommunications costs were flat, and inflation in computer programming dropped slightly to 1.2%. This relative calm may reflect competitive market dynamics, increased digitization, and stronger regulatory controls in the digital economy.
While the overall cooling trend may be welcomed, the persistently high inflation in transport and broadcasting signals that pressure points remain.
