Ghana's pension assets have exceeded GH¢100 billion, highlighting the growing importance of the pensions industry in supporting the country's financial stability and long-term economic development.

Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, disclosed that pension assets grew by 26.3 percent in one year, rising from GH¢86.23 billion in 2024 to more than GH¢100 billion in 2025. He added that the pensions industry now accounts for 16.8 percent of Ghana's total financial sector assets.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Africa Pension Supervisors Association (APSA) in Accra, Dr. Asiama said pension systems can no longer be viewed as peripheral institutions but have become major pools of long-term domestic capital that influence monetary and financial conditions.

"At that scale, pensions are not peripheral to the financial system. They are one of its major pools of long-term domestic capital," he said.

According to the Governor, the growth of pension assets underscores the increasing interconnectedness between pension funds and the broader financial system, including sovereign debt markets, banking and capital markets.

He noted that changes in the size and composition of pension fund investments can affect demand for securities, market liquidity, price discovery and investor confidence.

Dr. Asiama explained that pension systems matter to central banks not because they are supervised by them, but because of their growing scale and market influence.

"Pension systems therefore matter to a central bank not because the central bank supervises them, but because their scale, their long horizon and market connections increasingly shape the conditions in which monetary and financial stability are maintained," he stated.

The Governor also stressed that pension funds are well-positioned to provide patient capital for economic growth due to their long-term investment horizon. He said pension funds can help absorb short-term market volatility when supported by sound liquidity and risk management arrangements.

He further described financial stability as a promise made to workers contributing to pension schemes throughout their working lives.

"For the worker making a contribution today, financial stability is not an institutional concept. It is a promise," he said.

"It is the expectation that 30 or 40 years from now, the records will still be accurate, the assets will still be secure, the institutions will still be standing and the money itself will still have meaningful value."

Dr. Asiama noted that as pension assets continue to grow across Africa, regulators and policymakers must strengthen collaboration to ensure pension systems remain resilient, secure and capable of supporting sustainable economic development.