Financial irregularities across five audited public sectors in Ghana fell by 62.9% to GH¢7.69 billion in 2025 from GH¢20.72 billion in 2024, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem has announced. The 2025 Auditor-General’s reports cover ministries, departments and agencies; metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies; the District Assemblies Common Fund; public boards and state-owned enterprises; and public universities and colleges of education.
The decline represents a reduction of about GH¢13.03 billion and exceeded the government’s 50% target by 12.9 percentage points. Nyarko Ampem attributed the improvement to stronger public financial management, tighter controls and increased accountability. He urged heads of public institutions to address weaknesses identified in the Auditor-General’s reports, strengthen compliance and prevent financial irregularities from recurring.
The Nigerian stake is clear. Ghana’s success in reducing financial irregularities is a model for Nigeria, which has struggled with corruption and mismanagement in the public sector. The reduction of GH¢13.03 billion in irregularities is a significant achievement and demonstrates the effectiveness of stronger financial controls.
From a Nigerian vantage point, the Ghanaian experience is a lesson in the importance of public financial management. Nigeria must strengthen its own financial controls to reduce corruption and improve service delivery.
This echoes the 2021 financial management reforms in Ghana, which also sought to reduce irregularities. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a focus on accountability and transparency.
The winners: the Ghanaian government, which has reduced financial irregularities; and the Ghanaian public, who benefit from improved governance. The losers: the Nigerian government, which must learn from Ghana’s example; and the Nigerian public, who continue to suffer from corruption.
Bottom Line: Ghana’s financial irregularities have dropped by 62.9%. The government is making progress. Nigeria is watching. The question is whether Nigeria can replicate Ghana’s success.