Key media freedoms in Ghana
Ghana: Key media freedoms was 1.49 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.49
Change on year
up 44.6%
World rank
43rd
of 175 countries
All-time high
2.44
in 2017
All-time low
-1.71
in 1983
Years of data
124
1902–2025
Key media freedoms in Ghana, 1902–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for key media freedoms in Ghana is 1.49, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 44.6% on the previous year and down 20.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Ghana peaked at 2.44 in 2017 and was at its lowest, -1.71, in 1983.
Ghana ranks 43rd of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1902 | 0.079 | — |
| 1903 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.079 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.203 | +157.0% |
| 1952 | 0.203 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.203 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.203 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.203 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.203 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.009 | -95.6% |
| 1958 | -0.113 | -1355.6% |
| 1959 | -0.113 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.312 | +176.1% |
| 1961 | -0.312 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -0.477 | +52.9% |
| 1963 | -0.477 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -0.477 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -0.477 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -0.477 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.312 | -165.4% |
| 1968 | 0.312 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.03 | +228.8% |
| 1970 | 1.03 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.03 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.095 | -90.7% |
| 1973 | -0.603 | -734.7% |
| 1974 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.242 | -140.1% |
| 1980 | 1.69 | +600.0% |
| 1981 | 1.69 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | -0.947 | -155.9% |
| 1983 | -1.71 | +80.4% |
| 1984 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -1.02 | -40.0% |
| 1993 | 0.984 | -196.0% |
| 1994 | 0.984 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.984 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.984 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.26 | +28.5% |
| 1998 | 1.26 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.45 | +14.3% |
| 2000 | 1.87 | +29.1% |
| 2001 | 1.87 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.87 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.87 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.87 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.87 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.87 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.87 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.87 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.87 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2.29 | +22.6% |
| 2011 | 2.29 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 2.29 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.88 | -17.8% |
| 2014 | 1.88 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.88 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.88 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 2.44 | +29.8% |
| 2018 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2.04 | -16.6% |
| 2020 | 2.04 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2.04 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2.04 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.35 | -33.7% |
| 2024 | 1.03 | -23.5% |
| 2025 | 1.49 | +44.6% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 1.49 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.292, 5.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 1.49 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.123, 12.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.079 | 0.079 | 0.079 | 8 |
| 1910s | 0.079 | 0.079 | 0.079 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.079 | 0.079 | 0.079 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.079 | 0.079 | 0.079 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.079 | 0.079 | 0.079 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.108 | -0.113 | 0.203 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.1359 | -0.477 | 1.03 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.1229 | -0.603 | 1.03 | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.9515 | -1.71 | 1.69 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3468 | -1.71 | 1.45 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.87 | 1.87 | 1.87 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.13 | 1.88 | 2.44 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.66 | 1.03 | 2.04 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More social development data for Ghana
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 21,050 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 16,030 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0005 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 16,030 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0006 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Ghana?
- Key media freedoms in Ghana was 1.49 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 2.44 in 2017.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.71 in 1983.
- How does Ghana rank for key media freedoms?
- Ghana ranks 43rd out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key media freedoms. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 124 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which the government directly or indirectly attempts to censor political content in print and broadcast media, through formal restrictions or indirect pressures such as financial control, licensing, or access to distribution channels.