Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) is moving ahead with one of the most significant expansions of Accra International Airport in recent years, combining a major parking facility, retail spaces, and hotel development with a new passenger levy now generating funding for the programme.
The current car park at Terminal 3, which accommodates only 513 cars, is insufficient and often leads to congestion during peak hours. To address this, construction will begin mid-year on a new seven-storey car park with 2,000 parking bays, significantly increasing capacity for passengers and visitors.
The expansion will also include 4,000 square metres of retail space featuring a shopping mall and restaurants, a sky-view lounge for observing flight takeoffs and landings, and a two-in-one airport hotel comprising a 250-room budget facility and a 120-room luxury hotel to cater to overnight stays for grounded flights. A conference facility and business centre are also part of the plans, in a move that positions the airport as a commercial destination beyond its core aviation function.
Levy Kicks In to Fund the Work
The expansion is being backed by the Airport Infrastructure Development Charge (AIDC), which took effect on April 1, 2026. Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe said the revenue would support efforts to modernise airport infrastructure and enhance Ghana’s competitiveness as an aviation hub in Africa.
The charge is structured in tiers. Flights within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) attract a $15 surcharge, other African routes a $30 charge, and intercontinental travel a $100 fee. Domestic passengers pay GH¢100 per one-way ticket. Infants, diplomats, and on-duty crew are exempt.
Revenue generated from the levy is paid into a dedicated fund and escrow account managed by the Ministry of Transport, earmarked strictly for airport infrastructure development nationwide. The charge is projected to raise approximately $800 million over the next decade.
The minister noted that since 2012, GACL has not implemented comprehensive levies to support large-scale infrastructure development, making the new charge necessary to bridge existing gaps.
Other projects earmarked under the levy include a connecting concourse between Terminals 2 and 3 to deliver seamless airside transfers, and the construction of a ten-aircraft-capacity Northern Apron parking bay, a project suspended for four years due to lack of funds.
Competitiveness Questions Remain
The levy has not been without controversy. Some industry players have questioned how the policy aligns with an ECOWAS directive urging member states to reduce air transport taxes by 25 percent to improve regional connectivity. Accra International Airport competes with hubs in Lagos, Abidjan, and Lomé for passenger traffic and airline routes, and analysts note that even marginal cost differences can influence routing and frequency decisions over time.
Airlines have already begun passing the levy directly to passengers, with PassionAir and Africa World Airlines (AWA) both incorporating the charge into ticket prices from April 1.
Aviation expert Sean Mendis backed the levy’s underlying logic, warning that Ghana must “either increase domestic airport charges or continue watching the airport collapse under the financial burden of subsidising the entire system.”
If the expansion is delivered on schedule, it would mark a substantial upgrade in Accra’s standing as a regional aviation hub, though execution timelines and sustained passenger growth will be critical to its commercial success.
