Accra:Ghanaian companies were noticeably absent from the latest Forbes World's Best Employers 2026 ranking, which includes 900 companies from 52 countries.
According to Ghana Web, the absence of Ghanaian companies highlights a lack of representation among large multinational employers recognized by Forbes for their workplace environment, employee benefits, and talent development opportunities. The ranking is derived from employee surveys assessing various workplace aspects, including the likelihood of recommending their employers to others.
Employees rated their current and former employers within the past two years and companies familiar through industry or personal networks. This approach reflects employee perceptions rather than a comprehensive evaluation of workplace culture in each country.
Ghana's absence is significant, especially compared to other African countries featured on the list. South Africa dominated with nine of the top ten African-ranked companies, including Nedbank, Standard Bank Group, Absa Group, and FirstRand.
Notably, several South African companies, such as Standard Bank, Absa, and First National Bank, operate in Ghana. Nedbank was the highest-ranked African company, placing 26th globally, followed by Standard Bank Group at 54th, Absa Group at 98th, and FirstRand at 104th.
Nigeria featured two companies in the ranking, with Guaranty Trust Bank at 277th and Access Bank at 704th. The global list was topped by Microsoft, with Delta Air Lines and Shopify following. Other top 10 companies included Costco, NVIDIA, Adobe, Apple, Sony, Alphabet, and Lego Group.
The ranking focuses on multinational companies with over 1,000 employees, which may explain the absence of Ghanaian firms. It also underscores the strong position of South African financial institutions, with six of Africa's top 10 companies from the banking and financial services sector.