The number of Ghanaians registered as living abroad rose from 250,624 in 2010 to 293,416 in 2021, Government Statistician Dr Alhassan Iddrisu has disclosed.
The figures, drawn from the 2010 and 2021 Population and Housing Censuses, represent an increase of 42,792 people over the 11-year period and highlight the continued outward mobility of Ghanaians seeking opportunities beyond the country’s borders.
Europe remains the leading destination for Ghanaians living outside the country, accounting for 37.6 per cent of the total, followed by the Americas with 23.7 per cent and ECOWAS countries with 23 per cent.
Speaking on Channel One TV on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Dr Iddrisu said other African countries accounted for 10 per cent of Ghanaians living abroad, while Asia represented 4.7 per cent and Oceania 0.7 per cent.
“About 37.6 per cent [are in] Europe; we have America’s 23.7 per cent, ECOWAS, 23.3 per cent, other African countries, 10 per cent, Asia, 4.7 per cent, and Oceania is 0.7 per cent,” he said. “So largely, we are talking about Europe and America,” he added.
The concentration in Europe and the Americas underscores long-established migration corridors driven by education, employment, family reunification and historical ties.
The ECOWAS share reflects regional free-movement protocols that facilitate shorter-distance mobility within West Africa, while the smaller proportions in Asia and Oceania point to emerging but still limited destinations.
These census-based figures capture only those registered or enumerated as living abroad and may understate the true size of the diaspora.
Nevertheless, the steady rise between the two census rounds provides policymakers with clearer data for diaspora engagement, remittance mobilisation and skills-transfer programmes.
As Ghana continues to look to its global citizens for investment and knowledge transfer, the updated distribution offers a sharper picture of where its people are and how best to connect with them.
