Keypoints:
- Kenya proposes Accra hub for Kenya Airways
- Bid aligns with AfCFTA and regional trade goals
- Ghana assessing national carrier revival strategy
KENYA has formally proposed to Ghana that its national airline, Kenya Airways, be allowed to establish a secondary hub in Accra. The move is aimed at deepening regional aviation links across West Africa and enhancing connectivity to international markets.
The request was made by Kenya’s Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary, Davis Chirchir, during an official visit to Accra on May 7, where he delivered a message of goodwill from Kenyan President William Ruto to Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama. Chirchir was accompanied by Kenya Airways Group CEO Allan Kilavuka, reflecting Nairobi’s strategic interest in expanding the airline’s West African presence.
In a post on social media following the visit, Chirchir said the proposal aligns closely with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is headquartered in Accra. He said the hub would bolster intra-African trade, improve people-to-people connectivity, and enhance Accra’s status as a regional gateway.
‘In the spirit of enhancing people-to-people contacts and advancing commercial linkages to strengthen intra-African trade as envisioned under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)… I requested H.E. JD Mahama for Kenya Airways to establish a secondary hub in Accra,’ Chirchir disclosed.
‘The strategic hub would enhance Accra as a hub, foster connectivity between West Africa and global markets, grow trade, tourism, investment, and economic prosperity in Ghana and the Western Region.’
Linking East and West Africa
Kenya Airways already has a visible presence in the West African aviation space, with scheduled services to Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Senegal, and Cameroon. According to ch-aviation schedules data, the airline currently operates daily flights—and twice daily on some days—between Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Kotoka International Airport in Accra, using its Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
An Accra-based secondary hub would significantly cut layover times for passengers travelling from East Africa and beyond to West African destinations and would serve as a launchpad for enhanced intercontinental services through codeshare agreements or new long-haul routes.
The proposal also arrives at a time when Ghana is actively assessing options for the establishment of a national airline. The country, which currently does not have a flag carrier, has recently set up a government task force to chart a roadmap toward launching a new national carrier based in Accra.
Accra’s aviation ambitions grow
Accra is emerging as a pivotal node in African aviation, buoyed by its hosting of the AfCFTA Secretariat and growing status as a West African commercial and diplomatic hub. Industry observers note that Kenya’s proposal could fast-track Accra’s evolution into a major continental transit centre—especially given the lack of a local national airline.
Ghanaian officials have not yet issued a formal response to the Kenyan government’s request, but diplomatic and commercial signals suggest openness to regional collaboration in aviation. Nairobi’s move may also offer lessons for how African carriers can cooperate to achieve Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) goals.
As intra-African air connectivity continues to lag behind other regions due to fragmented regulation, limited frequencies, and high costs, strategic partnerships such as this could help overcome longstanding bottlenecks and position African aviation for more competitive growth.
