GSS to Adopt Rebased CPI and GDP Figures from 2027
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) is expected to begin using rebased Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures from 2027, following the completion of an ongoing rebasing exercise scheduled to end in 2026.
Government Statistician, Dr. Alhassan Iddrissu, disclosed this during an interview on PM Express Business Edition on February 12, 2026.
He explained that the current CPI weights are based on the Ghana Living Standards Survey Seven (GLSS 7), which was conducted in 2017, although the price reference period has since been updated to 2021 to reflect the creation of six new administrative regions.
“Our weight reference period is still 2017, but the price reference period has been updated to 2021 to incorporate the six new regions,” Dr. Iddrissu said.
He revealed that data collection for the Ghana Living Standards Survey Eight (GLSS 8) has been completed and that the Service plans to rebase both CPI and GDP estimates by the end of 2026.
“We have just finished collecting data for GLSS 8, and by the end of 2026, the Service will have the CPI and GDP estimates rebased,” he stated.
According to the Government Statistician, the last rebasing exercise conducted in 2017 reflected consumption patterns at the time, and the upcoming update is expected to significantly alter how consumer spending is measured.
“The last one reflected consumption patterns at that time, so this new one will definitely affect the consumption pattern of consumers,” he added.
Currently, Ghana’s inflation is measured using prices of 307 items in the CPI basket, collected from 57 markets and 8,337 outlets nationwide. These items are organised into 13 divisions, 44 groups, 98 classes, and 156 subclasses.
Impact on Inflation and GDP Estimates
The adoption of a new base year and rebased figures is expected to affect both inflation measurements and GDP estimates from 2027.
Dr. Iddrissu noted that the rebasing could result in inflation being reported as lower, higher, or simply more reflective of actual market conditions.
GDP figures are also expected to change, similar to the 2010 rebasing exercise that shifted the base year from 1993 to 2006. That adjustment expanded Ghana’s GDP by more than 60 percent and resulted in the country being reclassified as a lower middle-income economy.
There are indications that the upcoming rebasing could push Ghana further up within the low-income category.
“This will definitely change the dynamics going forward,” Dr. Iddrissu said, adding that the GSS has developed a methodology that will allow historical data to support future measurements.
Inflation Data Integrity Debate
Ghana’s inflation rate declined sharply from 23.5 percent in January 2025 to 3.8 percent in January 2026, sparking public debate over the credibility of the figures.
However, the Government Statistician defended the data, insisting it accurately reflects prevailing economic conditions.
“There is only one body in Ghana that goes around all the markets and regions to collect prices, and that is the Ghana Statistical Service,” he said, arguing that individuals or institutions not involved in the data collection process may not be well-placed to dispute the figures.
Dr. Iddrissu also suggested that the public needs a better understanding of how inflation data is interpreted.
“Maybe the time has come for us to appreciate and understand how inflation is interpreted,” he noted.
He attributed the sharp decline in inflation to four main factors: improved macroeconomic conditions, better economic management, movements in the real sector, and base effects.
According to him, the technical work and methodologies applied by the Ghana Statistical Service have also played a role in shaping the inflation outcomes currently being recorded.
