According to international ratings agency, Fitch Solutions, Ghanaian banks are expected to benefit from the closure of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), but rising bad loans could limit profitability.
Fitch solution in a press statement on 27 January 2026, says the end of the debt restructuring has helped restore capital buffers across the banking sector.
The international ratings agency’s latest outlook on Sub-Saharan Africa’s banking industry, expects a more accommodative monetary policy environment, with loan growth picking up across most markets in 2026.
However, the agency warns that Ghana’s high level of non-performing loans remains a key risk.
As of October 2025, bad loans stood at 9.5 per cent, a figure Fitch says will continue to weigh on banks’ earnings.
Across Sub-Saharan Africa, Fitch forecasts stronger loan growth by the end of the year, driven by pent-up demand, improved economic prospects and reduced government borrowing as fiscal consolidation gathers pace.
Fitch says banks will now face pressure to redirect capital towards private-sector lending in order to sustain returns.
Meanwhile, in recent years, banks in the region have increased their exposure to government securities, drawn by high yields. some markets, these holdings now account for between 20 and 35 per cent of bank assets, compared to 10 to 15 per cent before the pandemic.
