Foreign-owned banks continued to dominate Ghana’s secured lending market in the second quarter of 2026, accounting for more than 70 per cent of all secured credit registered by banks.

According to a report by the Collateral Registry Department of the Bank of Ghana, foreign-owned banks registered GH¢14.1 billion in secured credit during the quarter, representing 71.1 per cent of the GH¢19.9 billion registered by the banking sector.

“This marks a 19.3 per cent year-on-year increase from the GH¢11.8 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025,” the report said.

In contrast, Ghanaian-owned banks registered GH¢5.7 billion in secured credit, accounting for 28.9 per cent of the banking sector’s total secured lending.

However, indigenous banks recorded significantly stronger growth, with their secured lending increasing by 112.4 per cent from GH¢2.7 billion in the second quarter of 2025.

The figures highlight the continued dominance of foreign-owned banks in Ghana’s secured lending market, despite strong growth recorded by local banks.

While foreign-owned banks maintained their lead, the report noted that indigenous banks demonstrated strong momentum in expanding their lending portfolios.

Overall, Ghana’s secured credit market recorded substantial growth during the period.

The total value of secured credit advanced and registered rose to GH¢31.5 billion in the second quarter of 2026, representing a 73.4 per cent increase from the GH¢18.2 billion recorded a year earlier.

Banks remained the largest source of secured lending, accounting for 63.1 per cent of the total value of secured credit registered during the quarter.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, foreign-owned banks also maintained their lead, increasing their secured lending from GH¢11.6 billion in the first quarter of 2026 to GH¢14.1 billion in the second quarter, representing a 22.2 per cent increase.

Ghanaian-owned banks also increased their secured lending from GH¢4.8 billion to GH¢5.7 billion, representing a 19.7 per cent growth over the same period.

The Bank of Ghana report also showed increased use of the Collateral Registry system, with searches conducted on the platform rising by 13.9 per cent year-on-year to 19,518.

The increase suggests growing reliance on secured transaction mechanisms and greater use of the system for credit due diligence by lenders.