Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo spent decades pursuing the presidency before he finally won it, and then served two full terms at the head of the Ghanaian state. A lawyer by training and a scion of one of the country's most storied political families, he led Ghana from 2017 to 2025.

Family and early life

He was born on 29 March 1944 in Accra into a lineage woven through Ghana's founding. His father, Edward Akufo-Addo, was a chief justice and later ceremonial president, and relatives including J.B. Danquah stood among the country's founding fathers. He trained as a lawyer and built a reputation as a human-rights advocate.

Political career

He served as Attorney General from 2001 to 2003 and then as Minister of Foreign Affairs, alongside a career in parliament. After losing earlier presidential bids, he won the 2016 election with around 54 per cent of the vote and was re-elected in 2020.

Presidency

His signature policy was Free Senior High School, which removed fees for secondary education and became the defining initiative of his tenure, alongside the One District, One Factory industrialisation drive and the creation of an Office of the Special Prosecutor to tackle corruption. His two terms were also marked by economic turbulence in their later years.

Legacy

He handed power to John Mahama in January 2025 after his party's election defeat. Akufo-Addo leaves office as a figure who realised a long-held ambition and reshaped access to education for a generation of Ghanaians.