• Ghana introduced a new railway master plan to reduce road congestion and lower logistics costs.

• Authorities plan to rely heavily on public-private partnerships to mobilize billions of dollars in investment.

• The program prioritizes freight transport for minerals and agricultural output to support competitiveness.

Ghana has placed rail transport back at the core of its infrastructure strategy as road congestion and high logistics costs weigh on the economy. Authorities see rail as a key lever to improve national competitiveness and strengthen regional trade.

The government aims to transform a long-neglected sector through a new management framework and increased private investment.

The Ghana Railway Development Authority unveiled a new master plan designed to reposition rail as a pillar of the national transport system. The strategic document, named the Ghana Railway Master Plan 2026, aims to connect the country’s main cities.

The plan also seeks to offer an alternative to road transport for both freight and passengers.

The implementation framework relies heavily on public-private partnerships. Authorities say this model should mobilize several billion dollars in investment and create large numbers of jobs.

The plan gives priority to freight transport, especially the movement of bulk minerals such as manganese, bauxite, and iron ore. The program also targets stronger logistical connectivity for agricultural production zones, particularly cocoa-growing areas.

The long-term objective aims to reduce structural capacity constraints and high transport costs that have long burdened road networks in mining regions.

The announcement comes as earlier rail revival efforts have struggled to deliver tangible results. Despite several successive programs, Ghana remains heavily dependent on road transport.

Traffic continues to concentrate on highly congested corridors, especially around Accra and Tema.

Before the new plan, Accra had already introduced several railway initiatives, including a program covering the 2020–2035 period.

The government launched the previous program under President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration. That initiative planned construction of a 4,000-kilometer national rail network with links to Burkina Faso, a major user of the Port of Tema.

Authorities say about 75% of the planned rail length remains unbuilt. The shortfall highlights the scale of the technical, financial, and institutional challenges that Ghana must overcome to deliver its railway ambitions.

Henoc Dossa