Ghana ends US aid talks over data access concerns

Ghana has reportedly terminated negotiations for a multi-year aid agreement with the United States after Washington demanded access to citizens’ personal data, according to a source close to the government.

The development comes amid a broader shift in US engagement across Africa following policy changes under President Donald Trump, which saw the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and a reduced role for Non-Governmental Organisations in aid delivery.

Details of the proposed agreement with Ghana remain unclear, including the specific scope of funding and the nature of the data requested.

However, the source indicated that Ghana’s negotiating team included health officials, suggesting the deal may have focused partly on the health sector.

“The deal is dead,” the source told AFP, adding that tensions escalated after Ghana resisted the US demand for access to personal data.

The source described the US negotiating team as becoming “hostile” and applying “pressure” during discussions.

If concluded, the agreement would have provided Ghana with approximately $109 million over five years.

A spokesperson for the United States Department of State declined to comment on specifics, citing policy against disclosing details of ongoing bilateral negotiations, but indicated the funding could have supported efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.

The proposed funding for Ghana falls significantly below the $2.5 billion and $2.1 billion packages reportedly offered to Kenya and Nigeria, respectively, under the US government’s America First Global Health Strategy.

As of Monday, at least 32 agreements valued at about $20.6 billion had been signed with countries across Africa.

Several nations, including Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Lesotho and Eswatini, have entered into similar arrangements. However, concerns over data sovereignty have emerged elsewhere.

Zimbabwe rejected a comparable proposal in February, citing threats to its autonomy, while Zambia followed suit in March. Kenya’s agreement—the first of such bilateral deals—was suspended by a court shortly after signing over similar data-sharing concerns.

Despite the setback, relations between Accra and Washington have seen recent improvements.

In September, Ghana reached an agreement to accept deported West Africans from the United States, prompting Washington to lift visa restrictions imposed earlier in June.

Additionally, the US rolled back a 15 percent tariff on Ghana’s cocoa and agricultural exports in November.

Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, depends heavily on export revenues to support its currency and finance public expenditure.

According to official data, the United States disbursed approximately $219.4 million in 2024 and $138.5 million in 2025 to support programmes in agriculture, health and other sectors.

The US State Department has reiterated its commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, stating that it continues to explore avenues to deepen cooperation between the two countries.

Source: Classfmonline.com