Banking sector faces fresh risk if cedi starts sliding again, Dr Atuahene says

Ghana's banking sector may be at risk should the cedi begin to depreciate again, according to Dr. Richmond Atuahene, a Banking and Corporate Governance Consultant. This warning follows a sharp improvement in the financial performance of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in 2025. SOEs posted a consolidated net profit after tax of GH¢19.80 billion, up from a GH¢2.25 billion loss in 2024, with revenue rising from GH¢137.64 billion to GH¢176.43 billion.

However, Dr. Atuahene cautioned that these figures should not be hastily interpreted as signs of operational efficiency. He pointed out that foreign exchange gains accounted for a significant portion of the improved results, suggesting that the profit figures may not reflect actual operational efficiency. "If you are moved by foreign exchange gains by 60%, then you are not talking about efficiency," he said.

While the performance of the cedi helped reduce SOEs' finance costs by 42.49 percent in 2025, Dr. Atuahene highlighted the potential for reversal if the cedi loses its current stability. He emphasized the need to examine the broader economic impact, particularly concerning SOE debt levels of GH¢282 billion, which represent a significant portion of the country's wider debt burden.

The government should address SOE reforms as a priority, especially under the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program, according to Dr. Atuahene.

The consultant also questioned the sufficiency of profitability as the sole measure of SOE performance, citing examples of enterprises struggling to deliver basic public services like power and water. He stressed the importance of evaluating these entities using appropriate metrics to ensure the country's economic stability is not compromised.