The Bank of Ghana is expected to report a net loss of GH¢15.6 billion for the 2025 financial year.

The projected loss marks a significant increase from the GH¢9.6 billion recorded in 2024. If confirmed, the figure would become the second-largest loss recorded by the central bank since 2008, representing a 68 per cent jump year-on-year.

A member of the Finance Committee, Atta Issah, in a press briefing in Parliament on Thursday, defended the central bank’s position, emphasising that its mandate is not profit-driven.

“The bank reported a net cost or loss for 2025 of 15.6 billion Ghana cedis compared to a loss of 9.6 billion in 2024. It is not and was never intended to be a profit-maximisation institution,” he said.

He explained that the losses should be viewed within the context of broader economic stabilisation efforts, as central banks often undertake interventions that may not yield immediate financial returns.

He added that other comprehensive income recorded a charge of GH¢19.32 billion, largely due to the impact of a stronger cedi on the value of the bank’s foreign reserves.

Mr. Issah further outlined the central bank’s equity position, explaining that while the net equity stood at negative GH¢31.3 billion at the end of 2024, it is projected to improve to a positive GH¢1.2 billion, compared to a deeper negative position of about GH¢35 billion recorded at the end of 2025.

Cumulatively, he said, the figures bring the Bank’s net equity position to approximately negative GH¢96.3 billion, reflecting the financial cost of interventions over the period.

He argued that at the time President John Dramani Mahama assumed office, the total negative equity position of the Bank of Ghana stood at about GH¢61.3 billion.

“For context, as at 2021, the Bank had a positive net equity of about GH¢1.2 billion Ghana cedis. These numbers reflect the cost of the work that was done to stabilise the economy,” he explained.

The Majority maintains that while the losses appear significant, they are the result of necessary actions taken by the central bank to support macroeconomic stability during a challenging period.