Secured Loans Surge to GH¢148.3bn
The value of secured loans granted in Ghana more than doubled in 2025, reaching GH¢148.3 billion, as the number of collateral registrations climbed to a record 484,059, reflecting increased use of secured lending by businesses and financial institutions.
Figures contained in the Bank of Ghana’s 2025 Annual Report and Financial Statements show that the number of registered security interests rose from 382,215 in 2024 to 484,059 in 2025, representing a 26.7 per cent year-on-year increase.
The report indicates that the strong growth underscores the increasing importance of the Collateral Registry in facilitating access to credit by enabling borrowers to use movable assets as security for loans.
The total value of secured loans granted during the year amounted to GH¢148.3 billion, a sharp increase from GH¢60.9 billion recorded in 2024. Banks accounted for the largest share of lending, disbursing GH¢94.5 billion in secured loans during the period.
Sectoral data show that Commerce and Finance continued to dominate secured lending, accounting for 88.9 per cent of the total value of secured loans registered in 2025. The Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector followed with 4.0 per cent, while the Services sector accounted for 3.0 per cent, reflecting the continued concentration of credit within commercial activities.
The Bank of Ghana also reported increased utilisation of the Collateral Registry’s search services. A total of 72,901 searches were conducted in 2025, compared with 65,267 in the previous year, representing an 11.7 per cent increase.
Similarly, the volume of collateral assets registered rose by 21.7 per cent to approximately 584,000 assets, up from 479,707 in 2024.
According to the report, cash collateral remained the most widely accepted form of security among lenders, followed by inventories and stock of goods, as well as company and business assets, highlighting lenders’ continued preference for highly liquid and readily identifiable assets.
Meanwhile, the Collateral Registry issued 200 Memoranda of No Objection certificates in 2025 to facilitate the realisation of security interests in collateral, compared with 301 certificates issued in 2024, representing a 33.6 per cent decline.
The report further noted changes in collateral management activities during the year. Registrations discharged totalled 105,029, with the Bank indicating continued activity across financial institutions as loans matured and security interests were released.
Savings and Loans Companies remained the most active participants within the Collateral Registry ecosystem, recording the highest volumes of collateral registrations, searches and discharges during the year.
The Bank of Ghana said the continued expansion in collateral registrations and secured lending reflects growing confidence in the country’s secured transactions framework, which is designed to improve access to finance, strengthen credit risk management and support private sector growth.
