According to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), the increase signals a slight uptick in building costs, although inflation remains significantly lower than the 22% recorded in Ma
The report indicates that the cost of constructing buildings in Ghana increased marginally in May 2026, with the Prime Building Cost Index (PBCI) recording a year-on-year inflation rate of 2.7%.
It further notes that according to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), the increase signals a slight uptick in building costs, although inflation remains significantly lower than the 22% recorded in May 2025.
The PBCI, which measures changes in the prices of building materials, labour and equipment used in construction, showed that overall building input prices rose by 1.4% between April and May 2026.
Materials continued to be the main driver of inflation in the construction sector, recording a year-on-year inflation rate of 3.5%, up from 2.4% in April. Materials account for more than three-quarters of the PBCI basket and contributed nearly all of the headline inflation recorded during the period.
In contrast, labour costs declined, with labour inflation falling into negative territory at -2.0% year-on-year, compared with 1.0% in April. The decline in labour prices helped moderate overall construction cost increases.
The plant category, which includes equipment and small tools, recorded the fastest growth, with inflation accelerating to 9.8% year-on-year from 4.7% in April 2026. Prices in this category also increased by 4.7% on a month-on-month basis.
At the sub-group level, plumbing materials recorded the highest inflation rate of 22.8%, followed by roofing sheets at 19.9% and glazing materials at 18.5%. Cement posted the lowest inflation rate at-14.5%, while steel prices declined by 8.1%.
The GSS noted that despite the recent uptick, building cost inflation has eased considerably over the past year, creating a more favourable environment for households, businesses and government infrastructure projects. It advised businesses to lock in current prices and encouraged the government to fast-track key infrastructure projects while inflation remains relatively low.
