2026 Mid-Year Budget: Ghana Records Higher Revenue Despite ‘Nuisance Taxes’ Abolition – Ato Forson

The government says the modernisation of Ghana’s tax regime is yielding results, with non-oil tax revenue increasing despite the abolition of several “nuisance taxes.”

Presenting the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament on Thursday, Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson said the objective of the reforms was to restore investor confidence, revive enterprises, and provide relief for households and businesses.

“The objective was to restore investor confidence, to revive enterprises and provide relief for households and businesses, and also to increase domestic revenue through better policy, stronger compliance and more effective administration, and not through higher tax rates,” Dr Forson stated.

As part of the reforms, government abolished a number of taxes including the Electronic Transaction Levy, Betting Tax, COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, Emissions Tax, and VAT on Motor Insurance.

Despite scrapping the multiple taxes and introducing no new tax handles, the Finance Minister disclosed that non-oil tax revenue grew by 0.5% of GDP.

“Non-oil tax revenue increased from 12.6% of GDP in 2024 to 13.1% of GDP in 2025. Simply put, the government collected more taxes in 2025 even after abolishing the nuisance taxes,” he told Parliament.

Dr Forson attributed the increase to improved tax policy, stronger compliance, and more effective administration under the new regime.

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