Ghana has formally launched a market sounding process to identify a strategic investor for a new national airline, moving the country’s aviation ambitions from planning into an active and structured investor engagement phase with an initial operations target set for the first quarter of 2027.
In a statement, the Ministry of Transport said the government had begun market sounding to find qualified airline operators or aviation investors, with the aim of selecting a strategic partner to help set up a commercially viable and internationally competitive national carrier, based in Accra, which would serve as a regional and intercontinental hub for passenger and cargo services.
The process, announced in a press release issued on April 28 and signed by Minister for Transport Joseph Bukari Nikpe, will be conducted through three rounds of consultations with prospective partners, leading to the selection of a qualified strategic partner to form a joint venture with the government.
Under the proposal, the government expects the strategic partner to hold a majority equity stake in the joint venture, signalling a shift towards private-sector leadership rather than state control.
The ministry outlined a dual-market model for the carrier, combining a full-service operation for long-haul routes to Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia, with a hybrid or low-cost carrier (LCC) approach for regional African routes to improve affordability and support continental integration. The airline is also expected to establish an integrated cargo unit to strengthen trade facilitation and logistics across key markets.
Eligible partners must be operating airlines, subsidiaries of airlines, or authorised entities representing established carriers, and must demonstrate strong capacity in airline operations, management, marketing, route development and network planning, as well as a proven record of compliance with international aviation regulations.
Financial strength is a core eligibility criterion, with the state expecting prospective partners to demonstrate capacity to support both initial setup costs and the long-term sustainability of the carrier, including fleet acquisition and deployment across short-, medium-, and long-term timelines.
Interested parties are required to submit proposals to the Task Force Secretariat at the Ministry of Transport no later than May 29, 2026. The government reserves the right to accept or reject any request for inclusion and will not be liable to any party for its decision.
Ghana Airways, launched in 1958, ceased operations in 2004 due to financial and operational difficulties. Its successor, Ghana International Airlines, operated from 2005 to 2010 before also folding, leaving Ghana without a national carrier for more than two decades.
