Tomatoes, rent and ginger pushes Ghana's 5.2% inflation in September
Fresh tomatoes, rent payments and ginger were the biggest contributors to Ghana's 5.2% inflation rate in September 2026, despite a significant moderation in overall inflation over the past year.
Data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) showed that fresh tomatoes alone accounted for 20.3% of the September inflation rate, followed by rent payments at 13.9% and ginger at 9.9%.
Cooked rice contributed 7%, while bus and trotro fares and yam each accounted for 5.4%.
Presenting the detailed inflation figures, Government Statistician Dr Alhassan Iddrisu said the national headline rate concealed significant differences in the movement of prices for individual goods and services.
“We are talking about one national rate of 5.2% at the end of September 2026, which contains very different experiences in the market.”
Fresh tomatoes recorded the highest inflation rate among the items tracked during the month, with prices increasing by 153.4% compared with September 2025.
Dr Iddrisu explained that the increase meant that tomatoes cost roughly two and a half times what they did a year earlier.
Ginger followed with an inflation rate of 100.4%, representing approximately a doubling in price over the same period.
Other products that recorded significant price increases included shrimps at 62.8%, mangoes at 46.6%, and packing space and related services at 40%.
The Statistician said the figures highlighted the importance of addressing food supply pressures, noting that tomatoes and ginger alone accounted for about 30% of the national inflation rate.
“Also, pay attention to fresh food supply, since tomatoes and ginger alone contributes about 30% of inflation.”
Some food prices fall
While several food items recorded substantial price increases, the GSS data also showed that some products had become considerably cheaper compared with a year earlier.
Lime recorded the largest price decline at 29.9%, followed by maize at 26.4%, foreign apples at 24.1%, bambaran beans at 21.7% and carrots at 21.5%.
The contrasting movements demonstrate the varying price experiences across different commodities and markets in the country.
Services continue to exert pressure
Dr Iddrisu also identified services as a major source of inflationary pressure, with services inflation reaching 8.3% in September.
This was significantly higher than goods inflation, which stood at 4.2%, meaning service prices were increasing at nearly twice the rate of goods.
“Services inflation is at 8.3 percent at the end of September 2026, and they are the last hurdle for us to deal with, rising twice as fast as goods, which recorded inflation of 4.2 percent.”
Housing and rent, restaurants and transport were among the services contributing to the pressure.
The data also indicated that domestic products remained the main drivers of inflation, with locally produced items accounting for about 86% of the September rate, while imported items made up the remaining share.
“Inflation is homegrown, with local items driving about 86% of inflation in September 2026.”
Dr Iddrisu said the trend should inform policy interventions, particularly measures addressing food supply constraints and domestic production costs.
Inflation varies sharply across regions
The national inflation figure also concealed significant regional differences in price movements.
Dr Iddrisu said inflation ranged from 9.8% in the Ashanti Region to negative 0.5% in the Western Region.
“But not least, where you live matters, from 9.8% in the Ashanti Region to negative 0.5% inflation in the Western Region.”
He said the regional variations provided important information for policymakers, businesses and households seeking to understand where cost-of-living pressures were most pronounced.
The Ghana Statistical Service recommended that government use the official Consumer Price Index to inform budgeting, subsidies and targeted interventions.
Businesses were also encouraged to rely on official inflation data when setting prices and negotiating contracts instead of market speculation.
For households, Dr Iddrisu pointed to the moderation in food inflation as a positive development, noting that it fell to 4% in September from 11% a year earlier.