Number of Ghanaians living abroad rises to 293,416 in 2021

The number of Ghanaians registered as living outside the country increased by 42,792 between the 2010 and 2021 Population and Housing Censuses, Government Statistician Dr Alhassan Iddrisu has disclosed.

The figure rose from 250,624 in 2010 to 293,416 in 2021, with Europe emerging as the leading destination for Ghanaians abroad.

Europe accounted for 37.6 per cent of the total, followed by the Americas with 23.7 per cent and ECOWAS member states with 23.3 per cent.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View with Bernard Avle on Wednesday, November 4, Dr Iddrisu said other African countries hosted 10 per cent of Ghanaians living abroad, while Asia and Oceania accounted for 4.7 per cent and 0.7 per cent respectively.

“About 37.6 per cent [are in] Europe; we have America’s 23.7 per cent, ECOWAS, 23.3 per cent, other African countries, 10 per cent, Asia, 4.7 per cent, and Oceania is 0.7 per cent,” he said.

“So largely, we are talking about Europe and America,” he added.

The census figures indicate a steady increase in the number of Ghanaians recorded as residing abroad over the 11-year period, with Europe and the Americas accounting for the largest shares of the diaspora population.