Ghana Minimum Wage and Labour Basics

Data as of · last reviewed

National daily minimum wage (2025)
GH₵19.97 /day (eff. 1 Mar 2025)
Source: Ghana News Agency
National daily minimum wage (2024)
GH₵18.15 /day
Source: Modern Ghana
National daily minimum wage (listed for 2026)
GH₵21.77 /day (verify)
Source: WageIndicator
Standard working hours
8/day · 40/week
Source: Labour Act 651 (s.33)
Annual paid leave (minimum)
≥15 working days
Source: Labour Act 651 (s.20)
SSNIT contribution (total)
18.5% (5.5% employee + 13% employer)
Source: SSNIT
Personal income tax (PAYE)
0–35% (progressive)
Source: PwC

This page summarises the pay and labour basics most people ask about in Ghana — the minimum wage, working hours, leave and statutory contributions. It is general information compiled from named official and reputable sources, not legal or tax advice; always confirm current figures with the relevant authorities.

Minimum wage

Ghana’s national daily minimum wage was GH₵19.97, a 10% increase effective 1 March 2025, set by the National Tripartite Committee — government, the Ghana Employers’ Association and organised labour (Ghana News Agency). The previous rate was GH₵18.15 per day, effective 1 January 2024 (Modern Ghana). WageIndicator lists a further increase to GH₵21.77 per day from January 2026 — treat this as the latest listed rate and confirm it with the Ministry before relying on it (WageIndicator).

Working hours and overtime

Standard working hours are a maximum of 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week under the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651, s.33). Overtime is permitted, but the Act does not fix a statutory overtime rate — overtime pay is left to employer policy and agreements (Mondaq).

Annual leave

Workers are entitled to not less than fifteen working days of paid annual leave per calendar year (Labour Act 651, s.20).

Contributions and deductions

  • SSNIT (social security / pensions) — contributions total 18.5% of basic salary: 5.5% from the employee and 13% from the employer (SSNIT).
  • PAYE (income tax) — employment income is taxed on a progressive 0–35% scale with a tax-free first band (PwC).

Wage context

Pay should be read against the cost of living: consumer inflation was 18.4% year on year in May 2025, down from 21.2% the month before (Reuters, citing the Ghana Statistical Service). For typical pay by role, see our Ghana salary benchmarks.

Methodology

Compiled from named official sources (Ghana News Agency, SSNIT, Ghana's Labour Act 2003 / Act 651, Ghana Statistical Service via Reuters) and reputable references (PwC, Mondaq, WageIndicator), each fetched directly. Effective and as-of dates are stated per figure because wage and tax values change annually. This is general information, not legal or tax advice — verify current figures with the Ministry of Employment & Labour Relations, the GRA and SSNIT before relying on them. Reviewed roughly every 90 days.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the minimum wage in Ghana in 2025?
A: Ghana's national daily minimum wage was GH₵19.97, a 10% increase effective 1 March 2025, set by the National Tripartite Committee (Ghana News Agency). WageIndicator lists a further rise to GH₵21.77 per day from January 2026 — confirm the current rate before relying on it.
Q: What is the standard work week in Ghana?
A: Under the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651, s.33), standard working hours are a maximum of 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week. Overtime is allowed, but the Act does not fix a statutory overtime rate (Mondaq).
Q: How much annual leave are workers entitled to in Ghana?
A: Workers are entitled to not less than 15 working days of paid annual leave per calendar year (Labour Act 651, s.20).
Q: What contributions are deducted from salaries in Ghana?
A: SSNIT social-security contributions total 18.5% of basic salary (5.5% from the employee, 13% from the employer), and employment income is also subject to PAYE on a progressive 0–35% scale (SSNIT; PwC).