- President launches Terminal 2–3 concourse project to boost efficiency and cement Accra’s hub ambitions
President John Dramani Mahama on Monday cut the sod for a major expansion of Accra International Airport, casting the project as a strategic economic play rather than a ceremonial ribbon-cutting.
“Today’s event is not merely ceremonial, it is strategic,” the President said at the airport, arguing that Ghana’s aviation infrastructure must expand quickly to support growth, sharpen competitiveness and “position Ghana as a leading aviation hub in West Africa.”
The sod-cutting marks the start of construction of a connecting concourse that will link Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, an intervention the government believes is now necessary because traffic growth is colliding with the airport’s current operating design.
President Mahama said passenger traffic has climbed from 1.8 million in 2022 to 2.5 million in 2025, a rise he described as proof of Ghana’s growing connectivity and appeal as a destination. But, he added, “with growth comes pressure”, and that pressure is already visible at the most unforgiving times of day.
“We are already seeing congestion during peak hours, particularly between the hours of 1800 and 2200 GMT,” he said, listing where the bottlenecks hit: check-in, immigration, security screening, boarding and baggage handling. “If these are not addressed, these pressures will undermine efficiency and erode the pleasant passenger experience.”
The President said the government’s immediate response is twofold: repurpose Terminal 2 into a dual-purpose facility capable of handling both domestic and international traffic and relocate selected airlines there to ease congestion at Terminal 3. He acknowledged the politics of operational change airlines rarely volunteer to move but predicted resistance would fade once the upgraded Terminal 2 is completed.
“I hear some airlines are reluctant to move to Terminal 2,” President Mahama said. “But what I have gone to see at Terminal 2 today, I am sure when we finish, they will be begging us to move to Terminal 2.”
Yet, in his telling, Terminal 2 alone will not solve the Airport’s structural weaknesses. The “critical gap”, he said, is the absence of seamless airside connectivity between the terminals, limited transit passenger infrastructure and a continued reliance on standalone facilities. That is what the new concourse is meant to fix.
When completed, the connecting concourse will deliver five passenger boarding air bridges, modern waiting and holding areas, premium and VIP lounges, retail and commercial facilities and enhanced passenger service infrastructure, he said. The goal is to transform the way passengers move through the airport, enabling “seamless, secure and efficient connectivity” between the terminals, while improving aircraft turnaround time and elevating service quality.
His speech also signalled that the administration wants the airport to earn more from what airports increasingly rely on: commercial activity beyond aeronautical charges. He said the government is advancing plans for a seven-storey, 2,000-bay multi-storey car park at Terminal 3, with retail and dining areas, a “sky-view lounge”, conference rooms and business spaces, and a dual-concept airport hotel, part budget, part luxury. He pitched the development as a way to ease parking constraints, expand non-aeronautical revenue streams and support the government’s 24-hour economy policy, “thereby creating jobs and stimulating economic activity”.
The President insisted the aviation push is national, not Accra-only. Procurement is underway for new regional airports in Bolgatanga, Wa (to replace an airport he said is “not fit for purpose”); and Nsuatre to serve the Sunyani area, alongside the extension of the Kumasi Airport runway to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft and a new 54-metre air traffic control tower with ultra-modern equipment.
He also pointed to the installation of 3D scanners at Terminals 2 and 3, promising both stronger security and a smoother passenger experience “no need” to remove laptops and tablets from hand luggage, and no need to remove shoes and belts at screening.
Mahama framed the entire pipeline as a competitive necessity. “Competition in the West African aviation sector is intensifying,” he said, warning that if Ghana wants to “claim and maintain its position” it must “invest deliberately, plan strategically and execute efficiently.” He urged stakeholders to deliver with “diligence and urgency” and stressed value for money: “Every Cedi invested must translate into tangible benefits for the Ghanaian people.”
In a further signal of ambition, the President said he would meet a taskforce this week working toward re-establishing a national airline and was looking forward to a “concrete roadmap” for Ghana’s flag to return to the skies across Africa and beyond. He also announced plans to launch a new e-visa system, allowing travellers to apply online without visiting a Ghana embassy.
Standing before the two terminals that now define the Airport’s capacity limits, President Mahama closed with a line designed to read as policy and as intent: “Today’s sod cutting marks the beginning of a project that will shape the future of aviation in Ghana… Ghana is ready to lead, ready to compete and ready to build world-class infrastructure that matches our ambitions.”
