Ghana Requires $37 Billion Annual Infrastructure Investment, World Bank Says

At the ninth Ghana Urban Forum in Accra, Madhu Raghunath, Urban Resilience and Land Practice Manager at the World Bank, warned that Ghana needs an estimated US$37 billion each year to close its infrastructure gap and sustain rapid urbanisation. 57 % of the population now lives in cities, a share projected to more than double by 2050, putting pressure on transport, electricity, housing and waste services.

Raghunath highlighted key urban challenges: Accra faces average flood‑related asset losses exceeding US$20 million annually; slum dwellers grew from 5.5 million in 2017 to 8.8 million in 2020; and 38 % of households dispose waste at uncontrolled dumpsites while 23 % practice open burning, aggravating pollution and climate change. She urged integrated investment across transport, power, housing and waste management, stronger public‑private partnerships, expanded municipal financing and reinforced local institutional capacity to implement the National Urban Policy.