LEAP Expansion Tests Ghana’s Social Protection Budget
Ghana has raised the LEAP programme ceiling to 450,000 households, up from 350,000, with an average bi‑monthly grant of about GH¢569.14.
In Brief
- •Ghana has raised the LEAP programme ceiling to 450,000 households, up from 350,000, with an average bi‑monthly grant of about GH¢569.14.
- •The 2026 budget allocated GH¢1.1 billion to LEAP, but a full‑year run of the new structure would require roughly GH¢1.54 billion, about 40 % more.
- •Inflation protection is built into the new grant levels, meaning future budgets must absorb cost increases if prices rise.
- •The expansion also includes a nationwide reassessment that allowed over 226,000 households to graduate from extreme poverty.
Why It Matters
The LEAP programme is a cornerstone of Ghana’s social‑protection system, covering nearly a quarter of the country’s population. A 40 % rise in annual transfers could strain the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection’s already tight budget, which is already heavily weighted by LEAP and the School Feeding Programme. Inflation‑indexed grants shift part of the inflation risk from beneficiaries to the public purse, making macroeconomic stability directly relevant to fiscal planning. Understanding the fiscal implications of this expansion is essential for policymakers, donors, and civil society actors who rely on predictable funding for poverty alleviation. The expansion also tests Ghana’s capacity to scale a large cash‑transfer programme while maintaining targeting accuracy and financial sustainability, a challenge that could inform similar initiatives across sub‑Saharan Africa.
Key Details
- LEAP Ceiling
- 450,000 households
- Average Bi‑Monthly Grant
- GH¢569.14
- 2026 Budget Allocation
- GH¢1.1 billion
- Illustrative Full‑Year Transfer
- GH¢1.54 billion
- Projected Increase Over Allocation
- 40 % (GH¢437 million)
Context & Background
Ghana’s social‑protection system is heavily reliant on the LEAP cash‑transfer programme and the Ghana School Feeding Programme, together accounting for about 94.7 % of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection’s budget. The recent expansion and inflation‑indexing of LEAP marks a significant shift in the country’s fiscal approach to poverty alleviation.
Original Reporting & Sources
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