Kenya Airways’ Accra Hub Plan Takes Shape | By Dominick Andoh
Kenya Airways’ strategic plan to establish its first secondary hub outside of Nairobi is gaining real momentum, with confirmation that the Kenyan national carrier has submitted an application for aircraft parking space in Accra in preparation for larger operations from Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport.
The move builds on repeated indications from Kenya Airways leadership that the airline sees Accra as a key gateway for expanded West African connectivity.
The carrier has signalled its ambition to station part of its fleet at the Ghana hub, with parking space sought for aircraft supporting new intra-African services.
Kenya Airways CEO, Mr. Allan Kilavuka, has previously spoken to AviationGhana in Accra about the airline’s hub vision, noting that plans for an Accra base are structured to “work on a secondary hub in Ghana… then we could operate within the West African area.”
Kenya Airways CEO Allan Kilavuka told AviationGhana during a visit to Accra, Ghana last year, to advance the discussions on the second hub strategy with the Government of Ghana, that the airline intends to use Kotoka International Airport as a base for regional expansion.
Mr. Kilavuka told AviationWeek in a recent interview that the plan includes potentially stationing up to three Embraer E190-E1 aircraft in Accra to facilitate intra-regional services under this hub model.
This, he said, will unlock growth and bring greater connectivity between East and West Africa. The hub strategy aligns with the airline’s broader ambitions to deepen intra-continental ties under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Kenya Airways currently operates multiple weekly flights between Nairobi and Accra, underscoring Ghana’s market strength for the airline. The route has been a pillar of the carrier’s West African network, and the potential Accra hub would expand beyond point-to-point services toward more robust regional connectivity.
The airline has long served Accra and wider West Africa, also flying to destinations such as Dakar, Freetown, and Monrovia. This footprint positions Ghana as a logical focal point for future growth.
An Accra hub could enable more frequent connections, improved aircraft utilisation, and expanded intra-African networks, supporting both tourism and trade between West, East, and Central Africa.
While detailed timelines for the hub’s operational launch have yet to be announced, the parking space application confirms that planning has advanced beyond the conceptual stage.
Ghanaian aviation stakeholders, including the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), have previously welcomed Kenya Airways’ presence and expressed optimism about deepening regional airline partnerships.
Kenya Airways’ Accra Hub Plan Takes Shape | AviationGhana
