The Entebbe–Accra Launched Flights to Boost Trade, Expand Traffic and Network Growth at Entebbe International Airport, UCAA Boss.

By Abraham Lincolns | Accra, Ghana

Uganda Airlines officially launched its inaugural flight (UR900) to Accra, Ghana, on October 27, 2026,
establishing its 18th destination and a key new link between East and West Africa.

The service operates four times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays) from Entebbe
International Airport (EBB) to Kotoka International Airport (ACC) in Accra, via a technical/transit stop in
Lagos, Nigeria (LOS) operated using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

The UCAA (Uganda Civil Aviation Authority) leadership led by the Deputy Director General Olive Birungi
Lumonya, commended the national carrier for expanding traffic and network growth at Entebbe
International Airport something to boost trade between Uganda and Ghana.

“We are certainly sure that by expanding the National carrier our relationship with the Ghanaian
government via the aviation path shall boost trade in East-West Africa due to traffic expansion and
network growth”, Lumonya said.

She said Uganda Airlines accounted for close to 30% of passenger traffic at Entebbe International
Airport, highlighting the national carrier’s contribution to the airport’s operations emphasizing that
passenger numbers at Entebbe had grown since the airline began operations, prompting preparations to
expand and improve airport facilities.

Lumonya added that Uganda had concluded 64 bilateral air services agreements, which provide a
framework for expanding international aviation links. She said the authority would continue providing
regulatory, technical and safety oversight as the airline expanded its operations.

The new route reduces transit time between Uganda and Ghana to roughly 5 hours of total flying time
compared to the previous 7–10 hour multi-stop itineraries.

The Ugandan delegation was led by Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama and State Minister
for Planning Amos Lugoloobi, who flagged off the flight and highlighted its role in boosting intra-African
trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

“The flights between Entebbe and Accra, Ghana, is expected to reduce travel time between East and
West Africa, open new markets for Ugandan exports and strengthen business and investment links
between the two countries”, Byamukama said.

Byamukama said the government was also pursuing fleet expansion to support the airline’s network and
improve service reliability. He disclosed that Uganda had placed an order for 10 aircraft and had made
payments for two without borrowing, while plans to lease aircraft would help address capacity needs
and delays in deliveries.

He said the government was simultaneously developing domestic aviation infrastructure, with the first
phase of the Kabale airport project reported to be 99% complete and an opening as an international
airport expected around January or February 2027. Other locations under consideration include Arua
and Mbarara.

Ghana Airports Company Limited Managing Director Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare welcomed the flight at
Kotoka International Airport, emphasizing confidence in Ghana’s aviation hub strategy.

The launch comes as Uganda pursues its Fourth National Development Plan and a tenfold economic
growth strategy, with the government seeking to expand exports, attract foreign investment and
generate foreign exchange.

State Minister for Finance and Planning Amos Lugoloobi said improved air connectivity was particularly
important for Uganda, a landlocked country that depends on efficient transport links to access
international markets.

He said the route should be used to move a broader range of Ugandan products into West Africa rather
than relying primarily on passenger traffic.

Among the products he identified as potential exports to Ghana and the wider region are coffee, tea,
sugar, edible oils, fruits, juices, fresh fish and horticultural products. Uganda could also use the
connection to expand trade in manufactured goods, including soap, detergents, cosmetics, steel and
plastics, as well as pharmaceuticals and digital and professional services.

“The Entebbe–Accra route must be more than a destination on a map. It must become a lasting bridge
for innovation, enterprise and friendship,” Lugoloobi said, challenging businesses in both countries to
take advantage of the new connection.

However, the economic benefits will depend on whether exporters can secure buyers, meet market
requirements and move sufficient volumes of goods to justify the cost of air transport. Perishable and
high-value products may be better suited to air freight than bulky, low-margin commodities, making
cargo demand and pricing important factors in determining the route’s commercial value.

Uganda Airlines Acting Chief Executive Officer Girma Wake said the airline viewed the new service as
more than an expansion of its passenger network, describing it as a link intended to connect businesses,
markets and economies.

Wake said Accra was strategically important because it hosts the secretariat of the African Continental
Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the continental framework intended to increase trade among African
countries.

He emphasized that the airline saw opportunities to transport cargo between Uganda and Ghana while
connecting travellers through Entebbe to destinations in East and Southern Africa. In the opposite
direction, Accra could provide a gateway for Ugandan travellers seeking access to West Africa.

The route could therefore strengthen Entebbe’s position as a regional aviation hub, although achieving
that ambition will require competitive fares, reliable schedules, convenient onward connections and
sufficient demand from passengers and freight customers.

Uganda Airlines Board Chairperson Priscilla Mirembe Serukka said the service was part of the carrier’s
efforts to expand its network towards a target of 24 destinations as it marked its seventh anniversary.

She described Accra as a strategic link between East and West Africa, arguing that direct connections
would create opportunities for trade, tourism, investment and cultural exchange.

Serukka said the airline’s long-term commercial performance would depend on dependable services,
sound governance, prudent resource management and customer confidence.

She also urged businesses and leisure travellers in both countries to use the route, noting that sustained
passenger demand would be essential to keeping the service commercially viable.

The Ghanaian connection is also expected to support tourism in both directions. Uganda is seeking to
attract more visitors to destinations such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the source of the
River Nile, while Ghana offers historic sites associated with the transatlantic slave trade, cultural
festivals and coastal attractions.

The Honorary Consul of Ghana to Uganda, Kwame Ejalu Ejuku, said the direct flight would address
longstanding difficulties faced by travellers who previously had to negotiate connecting flights,
sometimes missing onward services because of tight transfer schedules.

He said visa-free travel between Uganda and Ghana for Ugandan and Ghanaian nationals would further
ease movement between the two countries and support business and cultural exchanges.

The expansion reflects the government’s wider ambition to use aviation to connect international visitors
with destinations across Uganda while improving the movement of people and goods within the
country.

The Entebbe–Accra route’s economic contribution will depend on more than the number of flights
operated. Its success will be measured by the trade it facilitates, the investment it attracts, the tourism
spending it generates and the revenue it earns for the airline.