Bribery in Ghana is decreasing, but informal payments continue to weigh heavily on the private sector, according to new data from the Ghana Statistical Service’s Governance Series Wave 2 report.
The study shows that direct bribery fell from 18.4 per cent to 14.3 per cent, while voluntary or “appreciation” payments almost doubled to 32.9 per cent. Unofficial requests from public officials also dropped sharply, from 51.3 per cent to 38.6 per cent.
For businesses, the findings reveal a mixed picture. Although the likelihood of being directly asked for a bribe is declining, firms still face subtle expectations that paying “something small” will expedite administrative processes, such as licensing, inspection, and utility-related services.
These payments are often modest — more than half are below GH¢100 — but they occur frequently and add up over time. The report notes that such informal transactions create uncertainty in service delivery, since they are unofficial and inconsistent. As a result, businesses struggle to predict how long approvals will take or what standards will be applied.
This unpredictability can lead to delays, uneven enforcement and hidden operational costs. While individual payments may seem minor, their cumulative impact is significant, especially for companies that regularly deal with regulatory bodies.
The rise in voluntary payments, the report suggests, reflects ongoing cultural practices and highlights a persistent economic burden on the private sector despite progress in reducing outright bribery.
