Jobs and youth employment were picked as a top national priority by 71% of respondents to the KPMG and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2027 Pre-Budget Survey, published this week ahead of the 2027 Budget statement on Thursday 12 November.
The cost of living came second at 54%, followed by electricity supply at 34% and the fight against illegal mining (galamsey) at 22%.
The report, titled From Stability to Shared Prosperity, draws on an online survey of businesses and professionals carried out between 12 October and 4 November 2026, plus focus groups in Ketu South and Kumasi. KPMG says the responses will feed into discussions with the Ministry of Finance.
What respondents want from the Budget
- National priorities: jobs and youth employment 71%; cost of living 54%; electricity supply 34%; fighting galamsey 22%. Separately, 90% said illegal mining harms the business environment.
- Business and economic policy priorities: business growth and competitiveness 59%; job creation 58%; access to finance 36%; infrastructure development 32%.
Tax: notice matters more than rates
Around 90% of respondents said knowing about tax changes in advance would help their organisation plan, with 61% expecting a significant planning benefit. Some 64% want at least four months' notice before a significant tax change takes effect. Almost half (49%) disagreed that Ghana's tax system raises enough revenue without overburdening businesses; 29% agreed and 22% were neutral.
Electricity and the 24-hour economy
Only 36% described electricity supply as very or mostly reliable. Another 47% reported occasional interruptions and 17% frequent or severe problems, meaning 64% reported some level of disruption, StatsGH calculated. Affordable and predictable tariffs were the top energy priority, cited by 44%.
On the government's 24H+ Economy Programme, 32% said they would consider investing or expanding under it, and a further 44% would do so if suitable incentives or conditions were in place, a combined 76%. Some 14% said they needed more information and 10% would not take part.
Confidence in growth and in public spending
About 70% were confident about their organisation's growth prospects for 2027, and 47% reported improved operating-cost conditions, while 22% said those conditions had deteriorated. Views on public spending were split evenly: 44% expressed confidence in the efficiency of government spending, 44% had low confidence and 12% were neutral. Independent value-for-money audits were the preferred fix (34%).
How far the findings go
KPMG states that the findings are not statistically representative of all Ghanaian businesses or households. Respondents came from nine regions and 13 industries, but 66.1% were based in Greater Accra, financial services made up 25.4% of the sample, and 75% were men.
The report does not state how many people responded. Every respondent-profile percentage in the appendix is a multiple of about 1.7 points, which is consistent with a sample of roughly 59; that is a StatsGH inference, not a KPMG figure.
KPMG's Country Managing Partner, Andy Akoto, wrote in the report's foreword that the Budget should protect fiscal credibility while directing scarce resources towards productive capacity, citing real GDP growth of 6.2% in the first half of 2026 and inflation of 5.5% in October. The latest official monthly data show economic activity grew 6.8% in August.
Sources: KPMG/UNDP 2027 Pre-Budget Survey Report (PDF); Citi Newsroom; JoyBusiness.