Business
Uganda Airlines starts direct Entebbe-Accra flights — a look at the bigger picture
"Air traffic is big enough to maintain all of us," says Uganda Airlines chief executive officer Girma Wake.
Uganda's Minister of Works and Transport Fred Byamukama and other officials are welcomed at Accra International Airport after Uganda Airlines' inaugural direct flight from Entebbe to Accra touched down in Ghana's capital on October 27, 2026. (Courtesy photo)
By: Joseph Kizza, Journalist @New Vision
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AVIATION & DIPLOMACY 🇺🇬✈️🇬🇭
📍 Accra, Ghana
The passengers onboard Uganda Airlines' inaugural direct flight from Entebbe to Accra may have travelled back in time — Ghana is three hours behind Uganda — but Tuesday's landmark Flight UR900 signalled a huge step forward in the connectivity of these two friendly countries in many ways.
Just like works and transport minister Fred Byamukama rightly put it: "This not just an ordinary flight."
For Uganda, for instance, her national carrier's entry into the Ghanaian market — as its 18th destination — means unlocking more opportunities in the areas of trade, tourism, investment and culture.
Tuesday's inaugural flight set in motion a four-times-weekly direct service between Entebbe International Airport and Accra International Airport using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Uganda Airlines already operates five-times-a-week flights to Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, which is one hour away from Accra by air.
And in three week's time, it will also launch its Entebbe-Kigali route on November 18 to reinforce its regional feeder network — a service that will altogether bump up the airline's network to 19 destinations across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
All this is part of Uganda Airline's expansion strategy that includes growing its regional and international network as well as increasing its fleet.
It has its tentacles in Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, DR Congo, Somalia, Burundi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, United Arab Emirates (UAE), India and the United Kingdom.
In June this year, the airline signed a $985 million deal with aircraft maker Boeing to acquire 10 more planes, including passenger and cargo aircraft. The signing at State House Entebbe was witnessed by President Yoweri Museveni.
A larger fleet for Uganda means reducing its dependence on regional transit hubs as well as improving direct international connectivity for tourists and investors.
'Dream realised'
Tuesday saw what minister Byamukama called a dream come true as Uganda Airlines began plying a new West African route. And to him, flying directing between Entebbe and Accra means saving time, and by extension, saving money.
"Before we got this direct flight, to come from Uganda to here Accra, Ghana, we had been spending about seven to eight hours, or even 10 hours depending on where you have been transiting from," he said at a colourful ceremony moments after Flight UR900 landed at Accra International Airport on a sweltering Tuesday early afternoon.
"But now, with the good planning of the Uganda Airlines management, with the support of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, and ministries of finance and transport, today, we have used a maximum of five hours and we are directly here in Ghana.
"That shows that when you save time, you save money," added Byamukama.
'Not just an occasion'
Only a couple of hours before back home at Entebbe, the minister (pictured above, second from right) had flagged off the flight that has ushered in a brand-new chapter in Uganda Airline's network.
He said it connected roots of Uganda and Ghana together and also made a firm case for Uganda as an ideal destination for not only tourism, but also investment and trade, pointing to an investment climate featuring tax holidays and exemptions, free land for investmentm and good security.
"But trade would be a mere dream if we didn't shorten the time from Ghana up to Uganda," said Byamukama.
His Ghanaian counterpart, Joseph Bukari Nikpe (pictured below), agreed.
"It is the African that will solve African problems because they affect us directly. It takes us a long time to transit from country to country to get to our destination," said the West African country's transport minister.
"This milestone of connecting us from West Africa to the East is not just an occasion for us to come and see our faces and to share laughter or some goodwill messages. It is a memorable occasion of how we will connect our trade, tourism, businesses and how we can advance the trade between East and West Africa.
"If we sit alone in our countries, we will not be able to do it when it comes to development."
Ghana, Africa's second-largest producer of cocoa after Ivory Coast, is working to position Accra as the preferred destination to aviation within the West African sub-region.
Backed by President John Dramani Mahama, the country is constructing three domestic regional airports in Sunyani, Wa, and Bolgatanga as part of a push to improve national air connectivity and support a new national airline.
As that is happening, minister Bukari is urging African airlines to make air travel more affordable "for our own African people".
"If we can connect and bring all these facilities yet our people are unable to finance a ticket to Uganda or to Accra and back, then we would not be making the maximum benefit or profit from all our plans we have put in place," he said.
Uganda Airlines chief executive officer Girma Wake (pictured below), while hailing the new Entebbe-Accra route and described the Ghanaian market as "a natural place for us to go", said it is not the endgame.
"When we come to Ghana, we are not only trying to bring people to Ghana. We would want them to connect through Ghana and go farther away. There are so many Ghanaian carriers and carriers from ECOWAS countries that can receive services from us," said the veteran business leader who prides in having transformed Ethiopian Airlines into one of Africa's most successful and respected airlines.
"That shows that when you save time, you save money," added Byamukama.
'Not just an occasion'
Only a couple of hours before back home at Entebbe, the minister (pictured above, second from right) had flagged off the flight that has ushered in a brand-new chapter in Uganda Airline's network.
He said it connected roots of Uganda and Ghana together and also made a firm case for Uganda as an ideal destination for not only tourism, but also investment and trade, pointing to an investment climate featuring tax holidays and exemptions, free land for investmentm and good security.
"But trade would be a mere dream if we didn't shorten the time from Ghana up to Uganda," said Byamukama.
His Ghanaian counterpart, Joseph Bukari Nikpe (pictured below), agreed.
"It is the African that will solve African problems because they affect us directly. It takes us a long time to transit from country to country to get to our destination," said the West African country's transport minister.
"This milestone of connecting us from West Africa to the East is not just an occasion for us to come and see our faces and to share laughter or some goodwill messages. It is a memorable occasion of how we will connect our trade, tourism, businesses and how we can advance the trade between East and West Africa.
"If we sit alone in our countries, we will not be able to do it when it comes to development."
Ghana, Africa's second-largest producer of cocoa after Ivory Coast, is working to position Accra as the preferred destination to aviation within the West African sub-region.
Backed by President John Dramani Mahama, the country is constructing three domestic regional airports in Sunyani, Wa, and Bolgatanga as part of a push to improve national air connectivity and support a new national airline.
As that is happening, minister Bukari is urging African airlines to make air travel more affordable "for our own African people".
"If we can connect and bring all these facilities yet our people are unable to finance a ticket to Uganda or to Accra and back, then we would not be making the maximum benefit or profit from all our plans we have put in place," he said.
Uganda Airlines chief executive officer Girma Wake (pictured below), while hailing the new Entebbe-Accra route and described the Ghanaian market as "a natural place for us to go", said it is not the endgame.
"When we come to Ghana, we are not only trying to bring people to Ghana. We would want them to connect through Ghana and go farther away. There are so many Ghanaian carriers and carriers from ECOWAS countries that can receive services from us," said the veteran business leader who prides in having transformed Ethiopian Airlines into one of Africa's most successful and respected airlines.
Wake also said aviation traffic is limitless and therefore airlines can leverage on collaborations.
"There are a lot of travelers between East and West [Africa]. There are a lot of travelers between West and South and for the few African carriers that are operating, there is no limit of traffic. Traffic is big enough to maintain all of us. So as African carriers, we have to work together to make it happen."
What's in it for businesses?
Uganda Airlines has now become the fourth in East Africa to serve Accra, after Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Air Tanzania.
Now that the Entebbe-Accra is active following Tuesday's launch, the question is: what is in it for businesses?
Ghana is considered an important economic partner for Uganda, with the new direct route between the two countries hoped to facilitate opportunities in trade, tourism, investment and culture.
Exporters, importers and service providers will particularly have seen this as an ideal gateway for improved movement of people and cargo between Uganda and Ghana.
According to Uganda Airlines, direct air connectivity means Ghanaian businesses can have direct access to the Ugandan and East African markets that make up over 300 million consumers.
There are also opportunities in a wide range of sectors, including agribusiness, finance, ICT, education, entertainment and healthcare.
For a country teeming with a wide range of wildlife and cultural attractions, Uganda's newest air route will present the Pearl of Africa as a worthy destination for Ghanaian travelers eager to experience East African tourism.
Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is high up there on many a tourist's to-do list when in Uganda.
Business forum
The Entebbe-Accra route will also bolster business-to-business engagements like the ones to be conducted today (October 28) when Uganda Airlines hosts the Ghana-Uganda Trade and Business Forum at Accra Marriott Hotel.
The airline has partnered with the Uganda Tourism Board, the Uganda High Commission in Ghana and other trade and investment promotion agencies to host the forum whose theme will be 'Leveraging Air Connectivity for Trade, Tourism, Investment and Economic Cooperation'.
A coming-together of business executives, government officials, investors, tourism players and industry experts from the two nations will present investment opportunities and business partnerships as well as front more solid commercial ties between Uganda and Ghana.
And after hours of formal engagements, the delegates will later on Wednesday transition to a relaxed networking and celebration in the form of a gala dinner — also at Accra Marriott Hotel — to wrap up a packed day of diplomatic activities.
"There are a lot of travelers between East and West [Africa]. There are a lot of travelers between West and South and for the few African carriers that are operating, there is no limit of traffic. Traffic is big enough to maintain all of us. So as African carriers, we have to work together to make it happen."
What's in it for businesses?
Uganda Airlines has now become the fourth in East Africa to serve Accra, after Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Air Tanzania.
Now that the Entebbe-Accra is active following Tuesday's launch, the question is: what is in it for businesses?
Ghana is considered an important economic partner for Uganda, with the new direct route between the two countries hoped to facilitate opportunities in trade, tourism, investment and culture.
Exporters, importers and service providers will particularly have seen this as an ideal gateway for improved movement of people and cargo between Uganda and Ghana.
According to Uganda Airlines, direct air connectivity means Ghanaian businesses can have direct access to the Ugandan and East African markets that make up over 300 million consumers.
There are also opportunities in a wide range of sectors, including agribusiness, finance, ICT, education, entertainment and healthcare.
For a country teeming with a wide range of wildlife and cultural attractions, Uganda's newest air route will present the Pearl of Africa as a worthy destination for Ghanaian travelers eager to experience East African tourism.
Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is high up there on many a tourist's to-do list when in Uganda.
Business forum
The Entebbe-Accra route will also bolster business-to-business engagements like the ones to be conducted today (October 28) when Uganda Airlines hosts the Ghana-Uganda Trade and Business Forum at Accra Marriott Hotel.
The airline has partnered with the Uganda Tourism Board, the Uganda High Commission in Ghana and other trade and investment promotion agencies to host the forum whose theme will be 'Leveraging Air Connectivity for Trade, Tourism, Investment and Economic Cooperation'.
A coming-together of business executives, government officials, investors, tourism players and industry experts from the two nations will present investment opportunities and business partnerships as well as front more solid commercial ties between Uganda and Ghana.
And after hours of formal engagements, the delegates will later on Wednesday transition to a relaxed networking and celebration in the form of a gala dinner — also at Accra Marriott Hotel — to wrap up a packed day of diplomatic activities.