Ghana has recorded a total of 2,644,358 businesses, according to the latest Integrated Business Establishment Survey (IBES) released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), offering a detailed picture of the country’s enterprise landscape.
The data reveals that 1.87 million businesses (70.6%) operate from fixed structures, while 693,748 businesses (26%) operate in open spaces and 82,920 (3.1%) are mobile, highlighting the scale and significance of non-traditional business operations in the economy.
Combined, open-space and mobile businesses make up nearly 30% of all enterprises, underscoring their vital role in supporting daily commerce and access to goods and services across the country.
Open-space businesses alone employ over 922,000 people, making them a major source of jobs. The data show these businesses are heavily concentrated in Greater Accra and Ashanti, reflecting strong urban demand and commercial activity.
Nationally, 63.7% of open-space businesses operate at least six days a week, with the highest activity in Greater Accra (77.5%) and Ashanti (73.1%). In the Northern Region, nearly half (48%) of these businesses operate seven days a week.
The survey also highlights gender dynamics in the sector, with nearly 80% of persons engaged in open-space but fixed-location businesses being women, while 99.2% of open-space businesses are Ghanaian-owned.
Mobile businesses, totalling 82,920 nationwide, further reinforce the contribution of non-traditional enterprises to livelihoods and local commerce.
Overall, the findings show that informal and semi-formal businesses remain central to Ghana’s economic activity, with varying scales, employment levels, and income-generation potential across the country.
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