Where Ghanaians Live in Europe: Top Countries, Cities and Towns

If you are researching where Ghanaians live in Europe, the largest communities are found in the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium and France.

The best available international comparison comes from the OECD, which estimated that about 490,000 Ghana-born people lived in OECD countries in 2020. Outside Africa, the largest Ghanaian destinations were the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and Canada. In Europe, that makes the UK, Italy and Germany the three most important countries for Ghanaian settlement.

Top Countries Where Ghanaians Live in Europe

1. United Kingdom: The Largest English-Speaking Ghanaian Hub in Europe

The United Kingdom is one of the most important Ghanaian destinations in Europe. OECD data placed the Ghanaian emigrant population in the UK at about 131,000 in 2020 or the latest available year. Later UK census-based summaries often put the Ghana-born population at about 135,854 across the UK.

The Ghanaian population in the UK is heavily concentrated in London. OECD analysis of UK census data found that London accounted for about 67% of Ghanaian emigrants in the UK. It also identified boroughs and areas with strong Ghanaian networks, including Southwark, Lambeth, Newham, Hackney, Haringey, Lewisham, Croydon and Brent.

Outside London, Ghanaian communities are also visible in Birmingham, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Leicester and other urban areas. The UK attracts Ghanaian migrants because of English language access, education, family networks, health care employment and long-standing Ghana-UK migration ties. If you are considering dual citizenship, see our Ghana dual citizenship guide.

2. Italy: One of the Biggest Ghanaian Communities in Continental Europe

Italy is one of the most important Ghanaian destinations in continental Europe. OECD estimates placed the Ghanaian population in Italy at about 55,000 in 2020. The same OECD report noted that Italy had the largest percentage growth among the main OECD destinations for Ghanaian migrants, rising from under 20,000 in 2000 to about 55,000 by 2020.

The Ghanaian community in Italy is especially important in the north. OECD notes that most Ghanaian migrants in Italy live in northern regions, with Emilia-Romagna hosting the largest concentration, about 23% of the total.

Key towns and cities include Modena, Reggio Emilia, Parma and Bologna in Emilia-Romagna. Brescia and Milan in Lombardy, Turin in Piedmont and Palermo in Sicily are also commonly associated with Ghanaian settlement. In Modena province, Ghanaian community organizations and migrant-led business networks became visible through projects such as Ghanacoop, a Ghanaian migrant cooperative connected to agricultural trade.

3. Germany: A Major Ghanaian Destination for Work, Study and Family Migration

Germany is another major European destination for Ghanaians. OECD placed Germany among the top five OECD destinations for Ghanaian emigrants and estimated about 37,000 Ghanaian migrants there in 2020.

Important Ghanaian hubs in Germany include Hamburg, Berlin, Bremen, Hanover, Frankfurt and Cologne. Hamburg is especially well known because of its port economy, long international links and established African communities.

Germany also matters for Ghanaian students. OECD data found that Germany hosted about 1,000 tertiary students from Ghana in 2019, up from about 300 in 2013. That made Germany one of the fastest-growing destinations for Ghanaian students in the OECD area.

4. Netherlands: Amsterdam and the Bijlmer Connection

The Netherlands has a long-standing Ghanaian community, especially around Amsterdam. The best-known Ghanaian area is Amsterdam-Zuidoost, commonly associated with the Bijlmer. This area has Ghanaian churches, food shops, hair salons, shipping businesses and community networks.

Rotterdam and The Hague also have visible Ghanaian communities. Compared with the UK, Italy and Germany, the Netherlands usually appears as a smaller destination in international datasets, but it remains culturally important because of its dense community networks and strong Ghanaian social infrastructure.

5. Spain: Smaller Community, But Important in Work Migration

Spain is not as large a Ghanaian destination as the UK, Italy or Germany, but it appears in OECD and Eurostat-linked migration data as part of the Ghanaian migration map. OECD identified Spain among the countries receiving Ghanaian flows to OECD countries, especially alongside the United States, United Kingdom and Italy.

Ghanaian communities in Spain are more likely to be found in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Murcia and Almeria. These areas connect to urban service work, agriculture, logistics and family migration.

6. Belgium and France: Smaller but Established Ghanaian Communities

Belgium and France have smaller Ghanaian communities compared with the UK, Italy and Germany. In Belgium, Ghanaian life is most visible in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent. In France, communities are more likely to be found around Paris, Lyon and Marseille.

These countries matter because they sit inside wider West African migration networks. Some Ghanaians move through or settle in these countries for work, study, family reunification or legal residence opportunities.

Why Do Ghanaians Settle in These European Countries?

Ghanaians usually settle where migration networks already exist. Once a church, family network, hometown association or job pathway becomes established, it lowers the risk for the next person who moves.

The UK is attractive because of English, education and professional work. Italy and Germany became important because of manufacturing, care work, agriculture, logistics and industrial jobs. The Netherlands became important because of Amsterdam-area networks, churches and community businesses.

OECD also notes that Ghanaian migration to OECD countries has diversified over time, but the largest destination countries have remained stable. The United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and Canada accounted for almost 90% of Ghanaian emigrants in the OECD area.

What This Means for Ghanaians and the Diaspora

If you are trying to find Ghanaian communities in Europe, start with London, then look at northern Italy, especially Emilia-Romagna, and major German cities such as Hamburg and Berlin. For cultural life, churches and community support, Amsterdam-Zuidoost is also one of the most recognizable Ghanaian hubs in Europe.

For someone researching family history, remittances, relocation, business or diaspora networks, the Ghanaian map of Europe is not random. It follows work routes, colonial language ties, church networks, student migration and family reunification.

For many families, Europe has become an important extension of the Ghanaian diaspora. From London churches to businesses in Amsterdam-Zuidoost and factory towns in northern Italy, Ghanaian communities continue to shape local economies and maintain strong ties back to Ghana.

Sources

• OECD, A Review of Ghanaian Emigrants, 2022.
• OECD migration profile data on Ghanaian emigrants in OECD countries.
• UK Census 2021 and 2022 country-of-birth summaries.
• Italian and European migration data referenced through OECD and ISTAT-based summaries.
• German migration data referenced through OECD and official population sources.