IATA VP Commends Ghana’s Aviation Regulatory Framework, Backs GCAA Director-General | By Dominick Andoh
The Vice President for Africa and the Middle East at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Kamil Al-Awadhi, has commended Ghana’s aviation regulatory regime, describing it as being in capable hands under the leadership of the Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Rev. Stephen Wilfred Arthur.
Delivering a keynote address at the 5th AviationGhana Breakfast Meeting in Accra on February 10, 2026, Mr. Al-Awadhi congratulated Rev. Arthur on his appointment and expressed confidence in his stewardship of the sector.
“Let me begin by extending my warmest congratulations to Rev. Stephen Wilfred Arthur on his appointment as the Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). His long-standing regulatory leadership places Ghana’s aviation sector in very capable hands,” Mr. Al-Awadhi stated.
He noted that strong regulatory oversight remains fundamental to aviation safety, investor confidence and sustainable industry growth, stressing that effective leadership at the regulatory level is critical to positioning Ghana competitively within the West African sub-region.
Mr. Al-Awadhi further urged Ghana to align its aviation policies with directives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to ensure harmonisation across the regional bloc. According to him, policy alignment would help create a more competitive and integrated aviation market in West Africa.
He emphasised that strengthening regional cooperation and regulatory consistency would enhance connectivity, attract airline investment and support traffic growth across the sub-region.
The IATA executive added that a competitive aviation framework aligned with ECOWAS standards would enable Ghana to further leverage aviation as a catalyst for economic expansion.
Strong Africa Region 2025 performance
In 2025, Africa recorded some impressive load factors, the percentage of airline seat that are filled, making it one of the fastest growing regions, though it remains the lowest among the global regions.
“Turning to the global and Regional picture, 2025 was a record year for air travel. Demand Global passenger, traffic rose by 5.3 percent and load factor reach unprecedented, 83.6 percent. In Africa, airlines recorded, 7.8 annual passenger growth, a record high for the continent, even though it remains the lowest among the global regions,” Mr. Al-Awadhi said.
He noted that, despise despite robust demand, structural challenges persist across the region. “High operating costs, infrastructure efficiencies, and weak connectivity continue to constrain Africa’s full aviation potential. At the same time, airlines worldwide face over 11 billion US Dollars in additional costs due to supply chain constraints, including delayed aircraft deliveries and maintenance backwards. There is a combination of strong, demand but Rising operating,” he noted.
Ghana moves to address infrastructure challenges
Ghana has moved to address some of the major on-ground aviation infrastructure challenges. Parliament of Ghana has passed a new law that mandates the collection of Airport Infrastructure Development Charge (AIDC)
In the approved 2026 national budget, the Government of Ghana has raised the domestic Airport Passenger Charge from GHC 5 to GHC 100. This significant increase responds to industry demands for an overhaul of Ghana’s aviation revenue model, which previously struggled to maintain operational sustainability at regional airports due to the low passenger charge. The Kotoka International Airport, a profitable hub, has had to cross-subsidize other facilities.
Parliament has also approved the introduction of the Airport Infrastructure Development Charge (AIDC). This new fee: US$50 (One-way) on international passengers, US$15 (one-way) for travel within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and US$30 for routes connecting to other African countries, is intended to raise US$800million to finance critical airport infrastructure over a ten-year period.
Projects earmarked using this funds, which sits with the Ministry of Transport, include: the construction of a concourse linking Terminal 2 to Terminal 3 at the Kotoka International Airport; Multi-story car park at Kotoka International Airport; New Wa Airport Terminal Building; New Bolgatanga Green Field Airport; New Sunyani Airport terminal building and extension of the existing runway to 2000meters plus to allow for jet operators such as Africa World Airlines service the airport.
IATA VP Commends Ghana’s Aviation Regulatory Framework, Backs GCAA Director-General | AviationGhana
