Ghana has granted Uganda Airlines fifth freedom traffic rights, allowing the national carrier to transport passengers and cargo between Lagos, Nigeria, and Accra, Ghana. This is part of its Entebbe-Lagos-Accra service. The airline commenced four weekly flights to Accra via Lagos using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Uganda Airlines Chief Executive Officer Girma Wake confirmed the approval during the official reception of the airline’s inaugural flight at Kotoka International Airport in Accra. Wake thanked the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority for supporting the airline’s entry into the Ghanaian market and approving the fifth freedom traffic rights.
Under international aviation agreements, fifth freedom traffic rights permit an airline to carry revenue passengers and cargo between two foreign countries on a service that originates or terminates in its home country. The approval could allow Uganda Airlines to sell tickets specifically for travel between Lagos and Accra, rather than carrying only passengers travelling to or from Entebbe on that sector.
The arrangement could help attract additional passengers, improve aircraft utilisation and strengthen the commercial performance of its West African operations. Wake said Accra was part of a broader strategy to improve air connectivity between East and West Africa, with opportunities to develop onward connections through partnerships with other African airlines.
Ghana Airports Company Limited welcomed the new service, saying Uganda Airlines’ entry would increase competition and passenger choice while strengthening Accra’s position as a regional aviation gateway. The airport operator noted that Ghana already receives services from several East African airlines, including carriers from Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama said the new service would substantially reduce travel time between Uganda and Ghana. Passengers previously relied on connecting flights through other countries, with journeys taking between seven and ten hours. With the new service, passengers can complete the journey in approximately five hours.
Ghana’s Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, welcomed Uganda Airlines’ entry into the market, saying improved air connections between African countries were essential to strengthening trade and passenger movement across the continent. Nikpe also called on airlines to make air travel more affordable, warning that improved connectivity would have limited benefits if ticket prices remained beyond the reach of many African travellers.
Key points
- Ghana grants Uganda Airlines fifth freedom traffic rights for Lagos-Accra route
- Uganda Airlines commences four weekly flights to Accra via Lagos
- Improved air connections between African countries essential for trade and passenger movement
