{
  "id": 11219799,
  "title": "Ghana’s trade surplus shrinks by 70% to US$1.3bn in quarter 2, 2026 – GSS",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/ghanas-trade-surplus-shrinks-by-70-to-us-1-3bn-in-quarter-2-2026-gss",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-01T15:04:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/ghanas-trade-surplus-shrinks-by-70-to-us1-3bn-in-quarter-2-2026-gss/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the second quarter of 2026, Ghana's trade surplus contracted by approximately 70%, dropping from US$4.3 billion in the first quarter to US$1.3 billion in the second quarter, according to the Ghana Statistical Services (GSS). This decline was primarily driven by a sharp increase in imports, which rose by 47.5%, compared to a 1.6% decrease in exports. Consequently, the total exports value amounted to GH₵108.5 billion (US$9.6 billion), while imports reached GH₵94.7 billion (US$8.3 billion), resulting in a total trade volume of US$17.9 billion. The GSS attributed Ghana's headline surplus to robust gold prices, with gold exports accounting for 72.3% of all exports, reaching GH₵78.4 billion. Crude petroleum followed as the second-largest export at GH₵11.6 billion. Import prices surged five times faster than export prices, with fuel prices increasing by 54.1% and other imports growing by 22.7%. The United Arab Emirates emerged as Ghana's largest import destination, purchasing GH₵32.7 billion worth of goods, more than double its purchases in the previous quarter.",
  "summary": "According to the GSS, exports barely increased as it went down by 1.6%, while imports jumped by 47.5%. Therefore, the smaller surplus came almost entirely from buying more.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Joy Business",
        "title": "Ghana’s trade surplus shrinks by 70% to US$1.3bn in quarter 2, 2026 – GSS",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/ghanas-trade-surplus-shrinks-by-70-to-us-1-3bn-in-quarter-2-2026-gss-11219935",
        "published": "2026-10-01T15:04:05.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "Ghana’s trade surplus drops 70% to US$1.3bn in second quarter of 2026 as imports surge",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/ghanas-trade-surplus-drops-70-to-us-1-3bn-in-second-quarter-of-2026",
        "published": "2026-10-01T16:07:18.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}