Uganda Airlines Lands in Accra and Wins Lagos–Accra Traffic Rights: What Changes for Travellers

Uganda Airlines' Accra flights are now in the air. The national carrier's first scheduled service to Ghana landed in Accra on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, and at the welcome ceremony the airline confirmed that Ghana has approved fifth freedom traffic rights for the Lagos to Accra leg, according to the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation. That approval lets the airline sell seats between Nigeria and Ghana, not only to passengers flying to or from Entebbe, and gives the new East to West Africa link a stronger commercial footing from its first week.

We reported the route announcement earlier this month in our story on the planned Entebbe to Accra service. This is the follow-up: the launch has happened, the traffic rights are new, and the airline has set out how it wants the route to grow.

What happened in Accra

The inaugural flight was received at Accra's main airport, which Ghanaian reports now call Accra International Airport following a name change announced in February. Uganda's Works and Transport Minister, Fred Byamukama, flagged off the service, according to Xinhua, as republished by The Independent in Kampala.

Speaking at the ceremony, Byamukama said travellers had previously spent "about seven to eight hours or even 10 hours, depending on where you are transiting from," and that the new flight took "a maximum of five hours," according to GhanaWeb. "That shows that when you save time, you save money," he said.

The service runs four times a week and stops in Lagos, where Uganda Airlines already flies, so it is a one-stop route rather than a non-stop. Business Times Uganda reports that the aircraft is a Boeing 737-800 wet-leased from Ethiopian Airlines, meaning the lessor supplies the crew, maintenance and insurance. Business Times also reports promotional return fares from 550 US dollars, subject to conditions and seat availability.

Why the fifth freedom rights matter

A fifth freedom right allows an airline to carry paying passengers and cargo between two foreign countries on a service that begins or ends in its home country. In practice, it means Uganda Airlines can sell a Lagos to Accra ticket on its own, filling seats that might otherwise fly empty on the short hop between West Africa's two biggest coastal hubs.

Uganda Airlines' chief executive, Girma Wake, thanked the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority for the approval. "We first of all thank the Ghana Civil Aviation for offering us all the support required," he said, according to UBC. He added that the airline aims to grow from four weekly flights to daily, and possibly twice daily, as demand builds, and that partnerships with airlines flying deeper into West Africa could feed more passengers into Entebbe.

Wake also told Business Times that the airline had reworked its schedules from 1 October so that flights arrive at Entebbe at the same time, allowing passengers to connect across Africa and onto long-haul services to London, Mumbai and Dubai. "We are building connectivity," he said.

Ghana's response

Ghana's Transport Minister, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, welcomed the route and said better links between African cities were essential for trade and movement, according to UBC. He also pressed airlines to keep fares affordable so that travellers actually benefit, and said Ghana is investing in airports and working towards a new national carrier.

Ghana Airports Company Limited said the service would add competition and choice and strengthen Accra as a regional hub, noting that it already receives carriers from Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya. Its managing director, Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, called the arrival "a significant milestone in the growing relationship between the two countries," according to Business Times.

That competition is real. Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Air Tanzania already serve the market, Business Times notes, so the route's success will depend on reliable operations and fares that tempt travellers away from familiar connections through Nairobi or Addis Ababa.

Visas and the wider policy push

Byamukama thanked Ghana for its visa arrangements for Ugandan travellers. Ghana's published policy lists Uganda among the countries whose ordinary, service and diplomatic passport holders may enter visa-free for up to 90 days, Business Times reports, though Ghanaian sources differ on the permitted stay, so check before you travel. The minister tied the route to the Single African Air Transport Market and the African Continental Free Trade Area, saying better air links must go with policies that "make it easier for Africans to travel," according to Xinhua.

For Uganda's tourism sector, the West Africa link adds a direct path for Ghanaian and Nigerian visitors to reach the country's parks. Uganda Airlines' next new route, a daily Entebbe to Kigali service, is due to start on 18 November.

What it means for travellers

The biggest change is time. A trip between Entebbe and Accra that used to involve a connection through a third country now takes about five hours with one stop. With the Lagos to Accra rights in place, travellers in Nigeria also gain another option for the short regional hop.

New routes often see schedule changes in their first months, especially with leased aircraft, so book flexible fares and check flight times with the airline close to departure. Ghana requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate on arrival, so carry yours.

Planning a visit

Flying to Ghana: see our Accra destination page for what to see and when to go.

Flying to Uganda: see our Entebbe page for your first night, and our guide to the East Africa Tourist Visa if you plan to combine Uganda with Kenya or Rwanda.

Choosing dates: our guide to the best time to visit Uganda covers the dry and wet seasons for gorilla trekking and safaris.

Photo: Rjruiziii / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).