Over 76% of Ghana’s Lawyers Are Based in Greater Accra, New Data Reveals

Nearly eight in ten licensed lawyers in Ghana are based in Greater Accra, highlighting a sharp regional imbalance in legal representation across the country.

New figures compiled by Dennislaw Ghana from the Ghana Bar Association’s Lawyer Locator Portal reveal that as of December 2024, 6,486 out of the country’s 8,462 licensed lawyers are located in the capital region. That works out to 76.6% of all practicing lawyers in the country.

The large concentration of lawyers in Greater Accra isn’t just a coincidence — it reflects where most of the country’s legal and economic activity happens. Accra is home to the headquarters of major companies, government ministries, and public agencies. It also has the highest number of courts, including the more specialized and higher-level ones. Naturally, this creates more demand for legal services — from corporate transactions and contract negotiations to regulatory work and litigation. With more clients, better infrastructure, and a busier legal scene overall, many lawyers choose to build their careers in the capital.

The gap between Accra and the rest of the country is significant. The Ashanti Region, which has Ghana’s second-highest number of lawyers, accounts for 807 lawyers, representing 9.5% of the total. From that point on, the numbers fall off sharply. No other region holds more than 2% of the national share.

The Central Region has 157 lawyers (1.9%), followed closely by Western and Western North with 151 (1.8%), and Bono, Bono East and Ahafo with 142 (1.7%). The Eastern Region records 121 lawyers (1.4%), rounding out the regions with over 1% representation.

In contrast, parts of the north and east have among the lowest figures. The Northern, Savannah and North East regions combined account for just 60 lawyers (0.7%). Volta and Oti together have 52 (0.6%), and the Upper West and Upper East regions have 37 (0.4%) and 27 (0.3%) lawyers, respectively — the lowest in the country.

There is also a category labeled “Unassigned Regions”, with 422 lawyers (5%). These include lawyers who are not actively practicing in a fixed location, are based across multiple regions, or whose data has not been tied to a specific jurisdiction.

Table: Regional Distribution of Licensed Lawyers in Ghana (2024)

Assessing the Impact: What the Numbers Actually Mean

In regions with fewer than 100 lawyers, access to justice becomes a real challenge — especially for people living outside the main towns. With so few legal professionals, clients often have limited options, and specialized services can be hard to find. Many of the lawyers working in these areas carry heavy caseloads and may be stretched thin, handling everything from land disputes and family matters to criminal defense and civil claims — often with little support. This makes it harder for people to get timely, quality legal help when they need it most.

Court systems are not immune to the effects of this disparity. With so few practicing lawyers in some regions, proceedings may face delays due to limited availability of counsel, and public defenders or legal aid lawyers may be stretched thin. These are not just theoretical concerns — they directly affect how quickly people can get legal help, how well they’re represented, and how efficiently justice is delivered.

There’s also a knock-on effect on legal education and mentorship. Without a strong local base of practitioners, it becomes difficult to sustain internship placements, mentorship programs, or continuing legal education in underrepresented regions. Young lawyers from these areas often have to relocate to Accra or Kumasi for opportunities — and many don’t return.

None of this is new, but the data makes it visible in hard numbers. While the legal profession will naturally cluster around courts, firms, and clients, the current spread shows a national system that is still highly centralized — not just in geography, but in access.