17 Goals – President's SDGs Advisory Unit Ghana

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals

This section outlines the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that guide our efforts. Each goal is designed to address critical areas of concern, ensuring sustainable progress for our communities. Explore each of the SDGs in depth. Our aim is to provide clear insights into how each goal impacts our society and the initiatives we are undertaking to achieve them. This informative approach will empower our stakeholders to engage meaningfully with our mission. Select the items below to discover detailed descriptions and key targets for each goal.

Ghana's SDG Progress

Key Statistics on Sustainable Development Goals in Ghana

This section highlights various statistics and progress indicators related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ghana. It summarizes key achievements and ongoing efforts as part of our commitment to sustainable development.

self-sufficiency in staple food production

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Update on SDG 2: Zero Hunger

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Update on SDG 6: Clean Water & Sanitation

Widespread 4G coverage

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Update on SDG 9: Industry & Innovation

An Overview

Ghana has demonstrated a strong political commitment to the 2030 Agenda, integrating the SDGs into its national development plans, strategy and coordinated by the SDGs Advisory Unit in the Office of the President. Progress is mixed, with significant strides in some areas countered by persistent challenges in others, further exacerbated by recent global economic shocks.

Key Statistics and Progress Analysis (Summarized Table)

Goal	Focus	Key Statistics & Progress	Major Challenges
Goal 1: No Poverty	Reducing poverty in all forms	– Poverty: National rate ~24.2% (GSS, 2023). – Multidimensional Poverty: Affects 46% of the population (GSS). – +: Halved extreme poverty since 1990s.	High vulnerability to economic shocks (850k+ pushed into poverty in 2022). Vast rural-urban and North-South disparities.
Goal 2: Zero Hunger	Food security & nutrition	– Stunting: 17.5% of children under 5 (GDHS 2022). – Anaemia: 45.5% in women (15-49). – +: 95% self-sufficiency in staple food production.	High post-harvest losses (20-50%). “Hidden hunger” (micronutrient deficiencies) remains widespread.
Goal 3: Good Health	Healthcare access & outcomes	– Child Mortality: Under-5 rate is 44/1,000 live births (2022). – Maternal Mortality: 263/100,000 live births (2020). – +: Near universal immunization coverage (~95-98%).	High maternal mortality ratio. Rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Goal 4: Quality Education	Access & learning outcomes	– Primary Completion: 77% (2021). – Learning Poverty: 87% of 10-yr-olds can’t read proficiently (2019). – +: Achieved gender parity in primary school enrollment.	High dropout rates. Crisis of learning despite enrollment. Infrastructure gaps.
Goal 5: Gender Equality	Empowerment & equality	– Women in Parliament: 14.6% of seats (2023). – GBV: ~33% of women experience spousal violence. – +: Achieved parity in primary education. FGM prevalence <1.4%.	Low political representation. High rates of gender-based violence. Economic empowerment gaps.
Goal 6: Clean Water & Sanitation	Access to WASH services	– Basic Water Access: 88% of population (JMP 2022). – Basic Sanitation: Only 34% of population (JMP 2022). – Open Defecation: ~17%.	Huge urban-rural gap in sanitation. High water stress in northern regions.
Goal 7: Affordable Energy	Energy access & reliability	– Electricity Access: 86% nationally (2021). – Clean Cooking: Only ~22% use clean fuels. – +: One of the highest access rates in Sub-Saharan Africa.	Reliance on biomass for cooking. Frequent power outages (“dumsor”).
Goal 8: Decent Work	Economic growth & jobs	– Youth Unemployment: 10.5% (Q4 2023). – Informality: ~80% of employment is informal. – +: Growing and resilient digital finance (FinTech) sector.	High informality with lack of social protection. Insufficient job creation for youth.
Goal 9: Industry & Innovation	Infrastructure & technology	– Manufacturing: ~14.5% of GDP (stagnant). – Internet Use: ~55% of population (2023). – +: Widespread 4G coverage (~95%) and mobile money adoption.	Poor road infrastructure logistics. Low R&D investment (0.3% of GDP).
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities	Income & regional equality	– Gini Coefficient: 38.2 (2022). – Regional Disparity: Poverty in Upper West (66.4%) vs. Greater Accra (2.6%). – +: Gini coefficient has been gradually declining.	Extreme regional inequality between North and South. High income concentration.
Goal 13: Climate Action	Climate resilience & action	– Vulnerability: Ranked 76th most vulnerable nation. – +: Developed ambitious Long-Term Strategy for net-zero.	High vulnerability to climate shocks (droughts, floods). Need for massive climate finance.
Goal 16: Peace & Institutions	Governance & justice	– Corruption: Score of 43/100 (CPI 2023). – Pre-trial Detainees: ~30% of prison population. – +: Relatively high press freedom for the region (Ranked 62nd).	Perceived high levels of corruption. Delays in the justice system.

Data compiled from Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), World Bank, UNICEF, WHO/JMP, and other official sources.

Key Cross-Cutting Challenges:

Funding Gap: Mobilizing sufficient financial resources remains the single biggest obstacle. Debt servicing constrains the national budget.
Data Gaps: Timely, disaggregated data (by age, gender, location, disability) is often lacking to effectively measure progress on all indicators.
Regional Inequality: The stark development divide between the northern and southern regions threatens the core SDG principle of “leaving no one behind.”
Economic and Climate Shocks: Global economic headwinds (inflation, debt) and climate change impacts (on agriculture, water resources) have reversed some gains and increased vulnerability.

Areas of Notable Success:

Despite notable progress in reducing undernourishment and food insecurity, nearly 2 million Ghanaians still lack sufficient dietary energy—placing the country off track to fully eliminate hunger by 2030.

Ghana has achieved significant reductions in child stunting and wasting over the past two decades, yet malnutrition persists in rural and northern regions, threatening equitable progress toward ending all forms of child undernutrition by 2030.

Maternal mortality in Ghana remains more than four times above the SDG target, with slow progress and stark regional disparities threatening the country’s ability to achieve safe motherhood for all by 2030.

Ghana has made significant strides in reducing under-f ive and neonatal mortality, but gaps in newborn care and health system capacity threaten the country’s ability to fully meet 2030 child survival targets.

Ghana’s passage of a landmark Affirmative Action law in 2024 marks a major step toward institutionalising gender equality, setting ambitious targets for women’s representation in governance by 2030.

Tourism in Ghana is rebounding post-pandemic, with rising job creation and diaspora engagement through the Beyond the Return initiative—yet sectoral GDP contributions remain below pre-COVID levels.

Despite generating over 1 million tons of plastic waste annually, with minimal recycling rates, Ghana is scaling up national and global partnerships to curb pollution and advance a circular economy for plastics.

Resilient remittance flows have become Ghana’s most significant external financial resource, surpassing FDI and grants and reinforcing household incomes and national reserves despite global and domestic shocks.

Summary:

Ghana’s SDG journey is a story of strong policy commitment and notable successes in specific areas, now tested by significant structural challenges and global crises. Achieving the 2030 targets will require redoubled efforts to address inequalities, mobilize private investment, and build resilience against shocks.

Inspiring Change

Together Towards Global Goals

“Sustainable Development is a shared journey, where every step counts towards progress for all. Let’s unite to build a better future for communities and the planet.”