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Claim: An X user @Joe_Bassey has claimed that Ghana has exited the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Verdict: False. Although President John Mahama spoke about the IMF during his New Year message on January 1, 2026, he did not announce that Ghana had exited the IMF programme. Instead, he stated that the government was beginning the process of leaving the programme, indicating that Ghana remains under IMF support.
Full Text
An X user, @Joe_Bassey, has claimed that Ghana has exited the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The claim was made alongside a 12-minute video, in which the user stated:
“Ghana officially exits the IMF, sending shockwaves. Every African nation should emulate Ghana.”
A video of John Mahama is attached to the claim. The post has attracted over 400,000 views and over 20,000 likes on X. Exiting an IMF programme is a significant policy decision for any government, including Ghana. However, is the claim true?
Verification
First, DUBAWA accessed the full video to verify claims that President John Mahama had declared that Ghana had exited the IMF programme. Our review indicates that Mr Mahama made the statement during his New Year’s message, which was televised on all major television platforms, including Channel One TV, on January 1, 2026.
After carefully analysing the video, DUBAWA found that the President did not state that Ghana had exited the IMF programme. Rather, Mr Mahama announced the government’s intention and plans to exit the IMF programme.
A section of his address where he made a statement on the IMF stated:
“We are beginning the process of exiting the IMF programme with dignity, not as supplicants, but as partners.” This can be found at 2 minutes 58 seconds of the video.
This statement clearly indicates that Ghana remains under an IMF programme and has not yet exited. Currently, Ghana is participating in an IMF-supported Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme, which began in May 2023 to support fiscal stabilisation following economic challenges. The programme is subject to periodic reviews by IMF staff and the IMF Executive Board to assess performance and approve the release of funding tranches.
As of late 2025, Ghana had completed several programme reviews, including the fifth review, making the country eligible for additional disbursements under the arrangement. The programme is expected to last until mid-2026.
Other government officials have also stated that Ghana is on track to complete the programme and exit in 2026. The Governor of the Bank of Ghana has indicated that the country is ahead of schedule on most programme targets and expects Ghana to exit the IMF programme within the year.
Therefore, while an exit plan is underway, it has not yet been completed. No official document from either the IMF or Ghana’s Ministry of Finance confirms that the programme has ended or that Ghana has fully exited IMF oversight as of early January 2026. Based on public statements and the IMF’s review timeline, the programme is expected to run until mid-2026.
Conclusion
The claim that Ghana has exited the IMF is false. President John Mahama, in his New Year message on January 1, 2026, did not announce that Ghana had exited the IMF programme. He stated that the government was beginning the process of exiting, which indicates that Ghana remains under IMF support. Ghana is currently participating in an IMF Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme that commenced in May 2023 and is scheduled to run until mid-2026. There is no official confirmation from the IMF or Ghana’s Ministry of Finance that the programme has ended. Therefore, the claim is misleading and inaccurate.
