Banks recorded a profit of GH¢4.6 billion in the first four months of 2026, representing a growth of 7.1%.

This is compared to GH¢4.3 billion in the same period a year earlier.

Similarly, profit-before-tax grew by 5.6% in April 2026, relative to 21.9% in April 2025.

With the exception of other income, which recorded stronger growth in April 2026 relative to April 2025, growth in all income streams moderated in April 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier.

Net interest income declined from a 15.5% year-on-year growth in April 2025 to a contraction of 2.2% in April 2026, reflecting weaker growth in interest income.

This was driven by declining lending rates and lower yields on money market instruments during the review period.

Fees and commissions grew by 15.6% in 2026, down from 26.2% in 2025. The slowdown in cost expansion outweighed the deceleration in income growth, with a net positive effect on the bottom line.

Operating expenses recorded modest growth of 2.1% in April 2026, down from 23.0% a year earlier, driven by contained staff cost and a significant reduction in non-staff expenses.

However, provisioning for depreciation, bad debts, and financial asset impairments rose significantly by 35.1%, compared to a contraction of 24.2% in April 2025.

Return on Assets and Return on Equity

The profitability indicators for the banking sector declined in April 2026.

The sector’s Return on Assets (ROA) declined marginally to 4.3% in April 2026 from 5.0% in April 2025.

Also, banks’ Return on Equity (ROE) decreased to 22.4% in April 2026 from 30.0% in April 2026.