Uganda Airlines has launched flights between Entebbe and Accra, Ghana, in a move expected to strengthen trade, tourism and investment ties between East and West Africa.
The new route is the airline’s 18th destination, and will operate four times a week, with a stopover in Lagos, Nigeria.
Works and Transport minister Fred Byamukama said the route would reduce travel time between Uganda and Ghana to about five hours, compared with seven to 10 hours previously spent connecting through intermediate airports.
“Previously we could use about seven to eight hours, or even 10, depending on the country you are transiting through. But now we are going to board a direct flight; we shall use about five hours maximum,” Byamukama said at the launch ceremony.
Byamukama said the government remained committed to developing Uganda Airlines as a strategic instrument for advancing the country’s trade, tourism and wider economic ambitions, adding that the route to Accra should deliver stronger commercial links and lasting benefits for both countries.
“We are particularly pleased by Ghana’s visa-free entry policy for holders of all categories of Ugandan passports. We don’t take that for granted, and other African countries should do the same,” he said.
The minister said the new connection would support the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Single African Air Transport Market by making regional economic cooperation more practical.
Speaking at the event, state minister for Planning Amos Lugolobi said the service was more than a new airline route, describing it as an economic bridge that would bring businesses closer to customers, investors closer to opportunities and tourists closer to destinations.
“Today, we are doing far more than introducing a new airline route. We are actually building a powerful economic bridge between East and West Africa,” Lugolobi said.
He challenged businesses in both countries to turn the improved connectivity into long-term commercial partnerships.
“Economic transformation requires productive capital and technology. Uganda offers immense opportunities across manufacturing, energy, ICT, healthcare and financial services,” Lugolobi said, adding that government would welcome Ghanaian investors interested in establishing ventures with Ugandan enterprises.
Uganda Airlines chief executive officer Girma Wake said the connection would enable Ugandans to visit Ghana’s historical sites, including locations associated with the transatlantic slave trade and the Ashanti Kingdom. In return, Ghanaian travellers would have easier access to Uganda’s wildlife, Lake Victoria and other attractions.
Wake said the route would also provide opportunities for cargo transportation, in addition to passenger traffic, helping connect businesses and markets in the two countries.
“For us, it is not just an ordinary flight; it is a connector of two nations, a connector of many nations, and building Entebbe as a regional hub is one of the important aspects of our job as the airline was working to strengthen Entebbe International Airport’s role as a connecting point for travellers heading to Uganda and other destinations in East and Southern Africa while bringing African economies closer together by improving connections between markets and supporting trade across the continent,” Wake said.
Uganda Civil Aviation Authority Deputy Director General Olive Birungi Lumonya said Uganda Airlines accounts for close to 30 per cent of passenger traffic at Entebbe International Airport, demonstrating its growing importance.
Lumonya said the airline had also contributed to an increase in transit passengers using the airport, with the authority working to improve facilities and services for travellers connecting through Entebbe while emphasizing the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority would continue supporting the development of international air routes while maintaining its responsibility to oversee aviation safety, security and regulatory compliance.
“We remain committed to working closely with the board, management and staff to ensure safe, secure, efficient and sustainable growth of the industry. Uganda has concluded 64 bilateral air services agreements with other countries, providing a framework for expanding international air connectivity and supporting airlines’ access to new markets,” Lumonya added.
Ambassador Richard Kabonero, representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the ministry had worked with Uganda Airlines and other stakeholders to facilitate the opening of its destinations through economic and commercial diplomacy.
He said Ugandan diplomatic missions abroad would continue supporting the national carrier as it expands its operations and also welcomed the planned expansion of the airline’s network, noting that improved air links would strengthen relations between Uganda and its African partners.
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