Three in 10 urban residents live in slums, informal settlements — GSS

Nearly one in three people living in Ghana’s urban areas resides in a slum or informal settlement, highlighting the housing and basic-service challenges accompanying the country’s rapid urbanisation. The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) says 30.8 per cent of the urban population lives in such settlements, where access to decent housing and essential services remains a concern.

The finding is contained in the Ghana in Numbers, 2025, a flagship publication released by the Service on November 2. It brings together population, housing and basic-service indicators to provide a picture of changing settlement patterns across the country. The report estimates that 19.8 million people, representing 58.7 per cent of Ghana’s population, lived in urban areas in 2025.

Despite improvements in access to electricity, drinking water and sanitation over the years, the figures point to persistent gaps in living conditions, particularly in urban communities. Basic services remain a challenge The report indicates that almost one in three households lacks an improved toilet, while about one in seven has no access to electricity.

Access to improved drinking water has expanded considerably, rising from 60.7 per cent of households in 2000 to 92 per cent in 2021. The proportion of households with electricity also increased from 43.8 per cent in 2000 to 86.3 per cent in 2021. Improved sanitation coverage rose from 44.8 per cent in 2010 to 69 per cent in 2022. However, the GSS says national access rates must be considered alongside conditions in individual communities, since overall figures can conceal significant differences between localities.

Housing pressures persist The publication estimates Ghana’s housing deficit at about 1.8 million units in 2021, down from approximately 2.8 million in 2010. The 2021 Population and Housing Census counted about 10 million dwelling units. The Service cautions that the housing deficit is an estimate based on the number of homes required and available.

It does not, by itself, measure housing quality, affordability or the number of vacant homes. The average household size has also fallen to 3.6 people, the lowest recorded level. The report notes that smaller households can increase the number of homes required, even when population growth slows. Call for localised planning Government Statistician, Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, said the data should guide decisions on where public investment and essential services were most needed.

“Use local figures, not national averages, to decide where the next cedi goes, because averages hide differences,” he said. He said population statistics should help determine “where schools, clinics and homes must go”, with decisions informed by the specific needs of communities. The GSS said district-level information could help identify areas with the greatest gaps in housing, water, sanitation, electricity and other services.

The Ghana in Numbers, 2025 publication and related district data are available through the GSS website, StatsBank, the Ghana in Numbers web portal and the GSS Stats App.