Ghana’s export earnings have surged to a record $18.2 billion for the first six months of 2026, driven largely by strong gold proceeds.

The latest Summary of Economic and Financial Data released by the Bank of Ghana shows that total exports at the end of June 2026 increased significantly from the $13.7 billion recorded during the same period in 2025.

Gold remained the biggest contributor to the export performance, accounting for $12.5 billion in earnings.

The figure represents a major jump from the $8.3 billion recorded in June 2025, reflecting the continued strong performance of the country’s gold sector on the international market.

Cocoa exports also recorded a marginal increase, bringing in $2.2 billion by the end of June 2026 compared to $2.1 billion during the same period last year.

Oil exports contributed $1.7 billion, while other exports generated $1.7 billion. The latter was slightly lower than the $1.8 billion recorded in June 2025.

On the import side, Ghana spent about $9.4 billion during the first half of 2026, representing a slight increase compared to the same period last year.

The country’s oil import bill alone stood at $3.3 billion.

The strong export performance resulted in a trade surplus of $8.8 billion by June 2026, compared to $5.7 billion recorded during the same period in 2025.

Economic watchers say the improvement in the trade balance could provide additional support for Ghana’s foreign exchange position and help strengthen international reserves.

The development comes ahead of expected inflows of more than $500 million from Ghana’s development partners by the end of the third quarter of 2026, which could further boost the country’s reserve position.