Seven in 10 respondents put jobs first for the 2027 Budget, the KPMG/UNDP pre-budget survey shows.

Published 11 Nov 2026, 22:56 GMT

2 min read

Cover graphic of the KPMG and UNDP pre-budget survey report — The KPMG/UNDP pre-budget survey report

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More than seven in 10 Ghanaians want jobs and youth employment to top the 2027 Budget, a KPMG and UNDP survey has found.

The survey puts the figure at 71 per cent, with the cost of living second at 54 per cent. It draws on responses from citizens and businesses, alongside focus group discussions, and was published a day before Finance Minister Ato Forson presents the budget at 6pm on Thursday.

On tax, around 90 per cent of respondents said advance notice of changes would help them plan, with a call for at least four months’ warning before new measures take effect.

They said complicated filing, paying several separate bodies and changes announced at short notice were the biggest hurdles, according to the survey report.

The most favoured way to draw informal firms into the formal system was wider outreach and schooling, then rewards for registering, then linking business licensing with tax sign-up.

Businesses were broadly optimistic, with about 70 per cent confident of growth in 2027, but cited access to suitable finance, reliable utilities and market demand as continuing constraints. Just 36 per cent rated their power supply as very or fairly steady.

Appetite for the 24-Hour Economy programme was conditional: around 32 per cent of respondents would invest or expand under it, while 44 per cent would do so only with suitable incentives or enabling conditions.

The report wants both schemes – the programme and the New Economy agenda – converted into real investment.

The report lists four budget priorities:

affordable finance and predictable taxation to help firms grow
converting the 24-Hour Economy drive and the New Economy agenda into real investment
better value from public spending, with tighter controls through the Value for Money Office
protecting natural resources while speeding up green investment

Ghana enters the budget cycle with real GDP up 6.2 per cent in the first half of 2026 and inflation at 5.5 per cent in October, the report notes.

Araba IncoomAraba Incoom writes on multiple topics with a vast knowledge across different sector. You can almost call me an AI, after all, my initials are Araba Incoom.

2027 Budget: 71% want jobs and youth employment prioritised – KPMG/UNDP survey

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