Banks’ profitability moderates, but record GH¢9.2bn profit in 8 months of 2026
According to the October 2026 Banking Sector Development Report, growth across the banking industry's major income lines moderated during the review period, except for fees and commissions income, which increased by 17.9% in August 2026. This is compared with 13.1% a year earlier.
The banking industry in Ghana experienced a moderate moderation in profitability during the first eight months of 2026, with profit-after-tax (PAT) contracting to GH¢9.2 billion from GH¢9.7 billion a year earlier, marking a 5.7% decline. This decline in PAT was reflected in both profit-before-tax (PBT) and return on equity (ROE) metrics, which fell to 22.2% from 32.2% over the same period.
Despite this overall moderation, the banking sector saw an increase in fees and commissions income by 17.9% compared to the previous year, indicating a shift in income sources. However, net interest income contracted by 4.2%, largely due to the low-interest-rate environment, while the growth in other income also slowed down. The cost base moderation, with a 6.4% increase in operating expenses, also contributed to the overall decline in profitability indicators.
Brief written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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