Starting May 3, 2025, consumers in Ghana will face higher utility costs, as the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has announced a fresh round of tariff increases for both electricity and water.
The upward adjustment comes after the Commission concluded its quarterly review for the first half of the year, which is aimed at maintaining financial stability for utility providers while managing the impact on consumers.
According to the latest figures, electricity tariffs will rise by an average of 14.75%, while water tariffs will see a 4.02% increase.
In a statement released on Friday, April 11, the PURC explained that the decision was driven by a combination of economic factors, including the depreciation of the Ghana cedi against the US dollar, projected inflation rates, changes in fuel prices—especially natural gas—and the current balance between hydro and thermal energy generation.
Another key driver of the hike, the Commission said, was the need to recoup a portion of outstanding revenues from 2024. Specifically, 50% of a GHS976 million revenue shortfall from previous tariff reviews will be recovered through this increase, with the remaining half deferred and distributed over the rest of 2025 to ease the burden on consumers.
The Commission defended the decision, noting that failure to correct under-recoveries by utility companies could threaten the reliability of electricity and water services across the country.
Despite the new rates, the PURC reassured the public of its ongoing efforts to balance affordability with the sustainability of utility services in the face of persistent economic challenges.
Full details of the revised tariffs will be published in the national gazette and uploaded to the PURC website for public review.
