Ghana has earmarked 69 million cedis (approximately US$5.88 million) in its proposed 2027 budget for preparatory activities towards establishing a new national airline, signalling progress in the government’s plan to re-enter the national aviation market.
According to newsaero.info , presenting the budget to Parliament on Thursday, November 12, 2026, Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson stated that this specific funding is included within a total envelope of 724 million cedis granted to the Ministry of Transport to support the mobility of passengers and goods across the country.
Diplomatic and Industrial Talks Held with Boeing
This budget allocation builds upon ongoing diplomatic and industrial efforts led over recent months by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama. In September, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the head of state met with executives from American aircraft manufacturer Boeing to discuss plans to revive a national carrier and assess project viability. These discussions explored potential areas of cooperation covering aircraft acquisition, technical assistance, aviation training, and maintenance.
Accra appears to be seeking a broader partnership than simple aircraft procurement, having also studied the establishment of a regional maintenance, repair, and overhaul center, known as an MRO facility, to serve carriers across West Africa and beyond.
Launching by 2027
On October 25, while addressing the Ghanaian community in Ottawa, Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced that the country aims to have Ghana Airways back in the skies by 2027, based on recommendations from a technical committee established by President Mahama. Mr Ablakwa highlighted direct flights between Ghana and Canada as a primary operational priority, enabling travellers to commute between the two nations without stopovers.
Although media reports have pointed to Toronto as a potential destination, no launch date, flight frequency, or aircraft type has yet been formally announced. This route development follows the formal signing in March 2025 of Ghana and Canada’s first bilateral air transport agreement to regulate scheduled passenger and cargo services.
Partner Selection Process and Fleet Strategy
To bring the project to fruition, the Ghanaian government launched a formal investor selection process in April, inviting qualified airlines and international consortia to submit bids as a strategic partner. Under the proposed framework, the future airline will be based at Kotoka International Airport in Accra and operate across three main pillars: a full-service offering on long-haul routes to Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia; a low-cost or hybrid model for regional routes within Africa; and a dedicated cargo division.
The selected strategic partner from the tender process, which had an initial submission deadline of May 29, is expected to hold a majority stake in the joint venture, although no definitive investor has been publicly confirmed to date.
Historical Background
Accra’s current revival drive follows several unsuccessful attempts to equip the country with a sustainable national carrier, as previous flag carriers ceased operations, notably Ghana Airways in 2004 and its successor Ghana International Airlines in 2010.
Previous memorandums of understanding failed to materialize into operational airlines, including a November 2019 agreement with Boeing for three 787-9 Dreamliner widebody aircraft valued at 877.5 million dollars at catalog price, alongside a letter of intent with De Havilland Canada for six Dash 8-400 turboprops—proposals that remain entirely separate from the current initiative, for which no firm aircraft orders have been announced.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s domestic aviation market is currently served by two primary carriers. African World Airlines, which has operated Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets since 2012, welcomed its first 102-seat Embraer E190 at Kotoka International Airport in Accra on September 19, 2026, as the first of two E190s aimed at expanding its fleet to ten aircraft within two years.
Additionally, PassionAir, established as an operator in 2017 and running scheduled flights since August 2018, operates Bombardier Dash 8 turboprops connecting Accra with Kumasi, Tamale, Takoradi, Wa, and Sunyani.
