Ghana’s government is defending a new airport charge that came into force on April 1, 2026, after the introduction of the Airport Infrastructure Development Charge (AIDC) sparked immediate pushback from the parliamentary opposition and raised questions about the country’s standing as a competitive aviation hub in West Africa.
The levy requires intercontinental travellers to pay an additional $100 per return trip, while domestic passengers are charged GH¢100. Speaking to journalists in Parliament on April 2, 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.
Among the priority projects identified are the rehabilitation of an ageing sewerage system, expansion of parking space, and the development of a hotel facility for transit passengers. “Our sewage treatment plant is over 25 years old and almost at full capacity,” the minister said. “We also face serious congestion at the car park, especially during peak hours, with vehicles spilling onto the streets.”
Mr Nikpe indicated that since 2012, Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has not implemented comprehensive levies to support large-scale infrastructure development, making the new charge necessary to bridge existing gaps.
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 the $100 fee. Domestic passengers pay GH¢100 per one-way ticket. Infants, diplomats and on-duty crew are exempt. Revenue from the levy, managed through a dedicated escrow account under the Ministry of Transport, is projected to generate approximately $800 million over ten years.
Specific projects earmarked for funding include the construction of a connecting concourse between Terminals 2 and 3 at Accra International Airport to ease operational bottlenecks caused by the detached terminals, the development of a 2,000-capacity multi-storey car park at Terminal 3, and rehabilitation works at regional airports.
The Minority in Parliament moved quickly to challenge the policy. Ranking Member of the Roads and Highways Committee, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, questioned the rationale, insisting that passengers are already subject to various charges for the use of airport facilities and that the levy amounts to double charging. The Member of Parliament for Akim Swedru described the GH¢100 domestic fee as excessive, warning it could discourage air travel within the country.
Industry data adds weight to those concerns. According to the Board of Airline Representatives in Ghana, the levy could move Ghana from ninth to third place among African countries with the highest airport charges if fully implemented, ranking behind only Gabon and Sierra Leone. Globally, average airport charges for return trips range from $30 to $34, while Africa’s average stands at approximately $68.
Some industry players have also 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 in competitive aviation markets can influence routing and frequency decisions over time.
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.”
The levy also arrives as airlines are already adjusting fares upward due to rising aviation fuel costs linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict, compounding the immediate cost impact on passengers.
