The Greater Accra region accounted for the highest value of secured loans by banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions in quarter 4, 2024.

According to data from the Bank of Ghana, this accounted for a percentage share of 69.6%.

Comparatively, this represented an increase of 1.2 percentage points from the 70.8 percentage share recorded in quarter 4, 2023.

This was followed by the Ashanti and Western regions with respective shares of 14.0% and 4.2% of the total value of secured loans received.

The lowest recipients of secured loans in quarter 4,2024 were the Savannah and North-East regions with respective shares of 0.04^% and 0.02% during the period under review.

According to the report, the regional differences in the shares of secured loans could largely be attributed to the variations in the level of economic activity across the various regions.

In summary, the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions accounted for more than 80.0 percent of the total value of secured loans extended by banks and SDIs in quarter 4, 2024.

Gender Distribution of Secured Loans

Meanwhile, a breakdown of the total value of secured loans by gender shows that individual female borrowers and businesses owned by females accounted for GH¢ 1.5 billion, an increase of 15.4% from GH¢ 1.3 billion recorded in quarter 4, 2023.

On the other hand, secured loans granted to individual male borrowers and businesses owned by males increased by 15.2% to GH¢ 3.8 billion in quarter 4, 2024 from GH¢ 3.3 billion in quarter 4, 2023.

In relative terms, the percentage share of secured loans to individual male borrowers and businesses owned by males declined to 71.7% in quarter 4, 2024 from 86.6% in quarter 4, 2023.

Consequently, the share of secured loans for individual female borrowers and businesses owned by females also increased to 28.3% during the period under review from 13.4% recorded in Q4 2023.