Nitrogen fertilizer use in Ghana
Ghana: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 78,895 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Ghana, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, nitrogen fertilizer use in Ghana stood at 78,895 tonnes.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 74.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Ghana peaked at 82,000 tonnes in 2017 and was at its lowest, 154 tonnes, in 1964.
That places Ghana 81st out of 202 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Ghana, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 175 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 713 tonnes | +307.4% |
| 1963 | 800 tonnes | +12.2% |
| 1964 | 154 tonnes | -80.8% |
| 1965 | 200 tonnes | +29.9% |
| 1966 | 300 tonnes | +50.0% |
| 1967 | 512 tonnes | +70.7% |
| 1968 | 433 tonnes | -15.4% |
| 1969 | 369 tonnes | -14.8% |
| 1970 | 1,375 tonnes | +272.6% |
| 1971 | 1,107 tonnes | -19.5% |
| 1972 | 2,586 tonnes | +133.6% |
| 1973 | 2,946 tonnes | +13.9% |
| 1974 | 3,782 tonnes | +28.4% |
| 1975 | 11,000 tonnes | +190.9% |
| 1976 | 12,000 tonnes | +9.1% |
| 1977 | 10,100 tonnes | -15.8% |
| 1978 | 10,600 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 1979 | 8,400 tonnes | -20.8% |
| 1980 | 5,000 tonnes | -40.5% |
| 1981 | 13,000 tonnes | +160.0% |
| 1982 | 12,500 tonnes | -3.8% |
| 1983 | 11,000 tonnes | -12.0% |
| 1984 | 5,000 tonnes | -54.5% |
| 1985 | 5,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 4,100 tonnes | -18.0% |
| 1987 | 5,140 tonnes | +25.4% |
| 1988 | 7,049 tonnes | +37.1% |
| 1989 | 5,783 tonnes | -18.0% |
| 1990 | 8,000 tonnes | +38.3% |
| 1991 | 7,000 tonnes | -12.5% |
| 1992 | 7,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 5,203 tonnes | -25.7% |
| 1994 | 2,700 tonnes | -48.1% |
| 1995 | 3,200 tonnes | +18.5% |
| 1996 | 7,200 tonnes | +125.0% |
| 1997 | 8,706 tonnes | +20.9% |
| 1998 | 7,274 tonnes | -16.4% |
| 1999 | 8,002 tonnes | +10.0% |
| 2000 | 7,048 tonnes | -11.9% |
| 2001 | 14,169 tonnes | +101.0% |
| 2002 | 4,330 tonnes | -69.4% |
| 2003 | 8,559 tonnes | +97.7% |
| 2004 | 5,702 tonnes | -33.4% |
| 2005 | 11,105 tonnes | +94.8% |
| 2006 | 30,171 tonnes | +171.7% |
| 2007 | 25,924 tonnes | -14.1% |
| 2008 | 18,374 tonnes | -29.1% |
| 2009 | 21,160 tonnes | +15.2% |
| 2010 | 24,835 tonnes | +17.4% |
| 2011 | 10,738 tonnes | -56.8% |
| 2012 | 42,320 tonnes | +294.1% |
| 2013 | 45,343 tonnes | +7.1% |
| 2014 | 38,177 tonnes | -15.8% |
| 2015 | 42,900 tonnes | +12.4% |
| 2016 | 42,900 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 82,000 tonnes | +91.1% |
| 2018 | 65,200 tonnes | -20.5% |
| 2019 | 76,500 tonnes | +17.3% |
| 2020 | 80,822 tonnes | +5.6% |
| 2021 | 76,839 tonnes | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 77,700 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 78,895 tonnes | +1.5% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 78,895 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47,552 tonnes, 1.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 78,895 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15,117 tonnes, 5.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in Ghana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +307.4% | 175 tonnes | 713 tonnes |
| 2012 | +294.1% | 10,738 tonnes | 42,320 tonnes |
| 1970 | +272.6% | 369 tonnes | 1,375 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 406.22 tonnes | 154 tonnes | 800 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 6,390 tonnes | 1,107 tonnes | 12,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 7,357 tonnes | 4,100 tonnes | 13,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 6,428 tonnes | 2,700 tonnes | 8,706 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 14,654 tonnes | 4,330 tonnes | 30,171 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 47,091 tonnes | 10,738 tonnes | 82,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 78,564 tonnes | 76,839 tonnes | 80,822 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More agriculture & rural data for Ghana
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 41.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2128 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 692.99 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4821 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4108 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 21.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 21.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Ghana?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Ghana was 78,895 tonnes in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 82,000 tonnes in 2017.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 154 tonnes in 1964.
- How does Ghana rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Ghana ranks 81st out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 74.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Nitrogen fertilizer use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measures total nitrogen inputs, including synthetic fertilizers alongside organic inputs from manure and crop fixation. Measured in tonnes of nitrogen.