• Ghana launched a process to select a strategic partner for a new state-backed national airline.

• The government will allow the selected partner to hold a majority stake in the joint venture.

• Authorities want the airline to begin deploying operational assets by the first quarter of 2027.

Ghana has restarted efforts to establish a national airline after several failed attempts over the past decade. The government launched a process on Tuesday, April 28, to select a strategic partner for the creation of a new national carrier.

In a statement, Ghana’s transport ministry said it had begun a market assessment aimed at launching a state-supported airline while inviting “potential strategic partners to express their interest to the Government of Ghana.”

The ministry added that the selection process will include three phases of discussions with potential partners. “The proposed national airline is expected to be developed as a commercially viable and internationally competitive carrier,” the ministry said. The government said the airline would operate from Accra, which authorities want to position as a regional and intercontinental aviation hub.

The government also said the selected strategic partner would hold a majority stake in the joint venture, marking a shift toward private-sector leadership rather than state control.

According to the ministry, the partner must demonstrate expertise in airline operations and management, maintain a strong regulatory compliance record, and provide sufficient financial capacity to support fleet acquisition and route development.

The proposed airline would operate a long-haul network serving destinations in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia, alongside regional routes and an integrated cargo division.

Series of Failed Negotiations

The transport ministry asked interested investors to submit proposals by May 29, 2026. However, the ministry did not provide a specific launch date for the new airline. The government said the selected partner must demonstrate the ability to acquire and deploy operational equipment in the short term, no later than the first quarter of 2027.

Ghana has operated without a national airline for more than 15 years. Ghana Airways, the country’s first airline founded in 1958, ceased operations in 2004 after years of severe financial difficulties, failed restructuring attempts, and mounting debt. In 2005, Ghana International Airlines replaced Ghana Airways, but the carrier operated for only five years.

The latest initiative follows several unsuccessful attempts to establish a new national airline aimed at strengthening domestic air transport capacity and reducing fares on routes dominated by foreign carriers.

Since 2016, the government has held discussions with Air Mauritius, Spain’s West Atlantic Group, a consortium led by Ashanti Airlines, as well as Ethiopian Airlines and EgyptAir, but all negotiations ultimately failed.

This article was initially published in French by Walid Kéfi

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum