Uganda Airlines targets West African market with Accra flights

Uganda Airlines is seeking to position Entebbe as a connecting hub between East and West Africa as it prepares to launch flights to Accra, Ghana, next Tuesday, with the Entebbe-Kigali route expected to follow.

The new services are intended to expand the airline’s regional reach and attract passengers travelling between African markets and destinations in Asia, the Middle East and southern Africa.

The Entebbe-Accra and Entebbe-Kigali routes will bring the national carrier’s network to 19 destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, including London-Gatwick.

However, the Accra service will include a stopover in Lagos, Nigeria, despite being marketed as a direct flight. The same Boeing 737-800 aircraft will operate the route four times a week, according to the airline.

Uganda Airlines has advertised a promotional return fare of $550 (about Shs2.3 million), offering passengers an alternative to connecting through Nairobi or Addis Ababa.

Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines currently serve the route through their respective hubs. Return fares on Ethiopian Airlines range from Shs2.2 million to Shs3.3 million, while Kenya Airways charges between Shs2.4 million and Shs3.8 million, depending on demand and booking time.

The airline’s expansion comes amid efforts to deepen economic relations between East and West Africa, where limited air connectivity has been identified as one of the barriers to trade, tourism and investment.

Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama said improved air links could help bridge the gap, particularly as African countries seek to increase trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Trade and tourism between the two regions remain relatively low, partly because of inadequate air connections, he said, adding that the new routes could create opportunities for businesses and travellers.

Uganda Airlines acting chief executive Girma Wake said the strategy was not simply to fly passengers to individual destinations but to connect markets and make Entebbe a transit point for travellers moving across regions.

“We were having flights that were coming from Bombay, Dubai, and London, connecting to nowhere. Now we have made that possible,” Wake said.

He said the airline wanted to use Entebbe to connect passengers from West Africa to destinations including India, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania.

The strategy would allow the carrier to make greater use of its existing international network while building traffic on regional routes.

The expansion is part of a broader plan valued at Shs3.7 trillion, which includes growing the airline’s route network and fleet. Uganda Airlines has signed an agreement with Boeing to acquire 10 aircraft as it seeks to address capacity constraints that have affected some medium- and long-haul services.

The airline also plans to acquire two dedicated cargo freighters, which could support the movement of agricultural exports and other goods to regional and international markets.

Cargo operations are expected to complement passenger services by providing additional capacity for exporters seeking access to overseas markets. However, the commercial impact will depend on the airline’s ability to secure sufficient cargo volumes, competitive operating costs and reliable schedules.

The expansion comes as Uganda Airlines continues to navigate operational disruptions. Flights to Dubai, suspended following the outbreak of armed conflict in the region, have resumed, while services to Kinshasa remain suspended over health concerns. Management has nevertheless included Kinshasa among routes it intends to restore in the near term.

The success of the new services will depend on the airline’s ability to attract sufficient passenger traffic, maintain reliable operations and turn improved connectivity into sustainable revenue.

For Uganda Airlines, the Accra route is therefore more than an additional destination. It is a test of whether Entebbe can develop into a useful link between African markets and the airline’s longer-haul network.