Ghana expands LEAP social safety net to 450,000 households

Ghana is expanding its Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, increasing the beneficiary ceiling from 350,000 to 450,000 households. This 29% expansion aims to protect vulnerable families from rising living costs through an inflation-linked payment system.

Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, announced that a reassessment of approximately 350,000 households using the Ghana National Household Registry identified over 226,000 households that have graduated out of extreme poverty. This reassessment allowed the government to redirect resources toward households that still meet vulnerability criteria.

The programme has introduced a revised six-tier grant structure based on household size and the presence of vulnerable members. For example, households with five or more members and a vulnerable member will receive GH¢630 every two months. The first and second payment cycles for 2026 commenced on September 14, with both cycles being disbursed together to eligible households.