Ghana is moving ahead with a $4 billion motorway linking Accra and Kumasi, with President John Dramani Mahama setting an end-2026 target for the start of full construction on the long-awaited project.

The government has already mobilized $2 billion, with the funds deposited in accounts at the Bank of Ghana, Mahama said Monday, Sept. 14, during the handover of the project’s right-of-way. The milestone follows the completion of clearing works along the 198.7-kilometer route.

The remaining $2 billion financing gap will be critical to keeping the construction schedule on track, while Ghana also completes the selection of companies that will execute the project.

Six-lane motorway to cut Accra-Kumasi travel time

The Accra-Kumasi link is a flagship project under Ghana’s “Big Push” infrastructure program, designed to upgrade the connection between the capital and Kumasi, the country’s second-largest city and a major commercial center.

The government expects the motorway to reduce travel between the two cities to about two hours, compared with the several hours currently required on the existing single-carriageway connection.

The main project will feature 176 kilometers of new motorway and about 23 kilometers of connecting roads.

The Class A motorway will have three lanes in each direction and a design speed of 120 kilometers per hour.

The project also includes eight interchanges, 11 vehicular overpasses and 55 major bridges. Connecting roads will be built to Class B standards, with a 60-kilometer-per-hour speed limit.

Ghana plans smart transport systems

Beyond road construction, Ghana plans to install intelligent transport systems, electronic tolling, emergency-response facilities and rest areas along the corridor.

The government says the additional infrastructure will help expand road capacity and improve traffic flows.

But the project’s next test is financial. With only half of the estimated $4 billion cost currently mobilized, Ghana must secure the remaining funding and finalize contractor selection before full construction can begin.

For Ghana, closing that gap will determine whether the strategic Accra-Kumasi motorway moves from a long-planned infrastructure ambition to construction by the end of 2026.