Ghana’s Accra–Tema Motorway Project Reaches 53% Completion as Financing Plans Emerge

Ghana’s Accra–Tema Motorway and Extensions Projecthas reached 53% completion on its 19.5-kilometre first section, as the project’s concessionaire, Accra–Tema Expressway Limited (ATEL), launches a dedicated website to improve public access to construction updates, traffic diversions, milestones and safety advisories.

The announcement was made on October 28, 2026, amid public concerns about the pace of work on the major transport corridor linking Accra to Tema, Ghana’s industrial hub and principal seaport. ATEL Chief Executive Officer Louis Harrison said the project is being delivered under Ghana’s first public-private partnership (PPP) toll-road concession, a 30-year arrangement that places responsibility for financing, reconstruction, expansion, operation and maintenance on the concessionaire, with the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) serving as sponsor and the Ministry of Roads and Highways and Ghana Highway Authority acting as public-sector partners.

The full project covers approximately 27.7 kilometres, comprising the 19.5-kilometre Accra–Tema Motorway section under construction, a 5.7-kilometre stretch between Tetteh Quarshie and Apenkwa, and a 2.5-kilometre section of the N6 towards Achimota.

The first section is designed to include a two-lane, access-controlled expressway alongside an urban highway with three lanes in each direction, with some stretches widening to five lanes to improve traffic flow.

Construction also includes 20 box culverts, three bridges, pedestrian crossings and improvements to four interchanges at Tetteh Quarshie, Teshie, Community 18 and Lashibi. Chief Resident Engineer Ing. Kwabena Bempong said concrete structures were about 70% complete, while Project Manager Benjamin Sackey reported that four kilometres of road base had been prepared for asphalt laying, two urban-highway bridges were complete, seven footbridges were at different stages of construction, and two interchanges were substantially complete; contractor Maripoma Enterprise Limited is expected to accelerate work towards the August 2027 completion target.

The first section is estimated to cost US$338 million to US$340 million, while estimates for the entire project’s financing needs vary, with reports citing figures from approximately US$380 million to US$700 million.

Harrison said the final financing arrangement would partly depend on proposed toll charges, which have yet to be determined and will require parliamentary consideration, while ATEL is exploring local-currency loans from domestic banks to reduce foreign-exchange risks and long-term pension-fund financing for later phases.

Project adviser David Ofosu-Dorte attributed earlier delays to financing and procurement challenges dating back to 2019, including a funding shortfall of nearly US$100 million and the cancellation of road tolls in November 2021, which affected investor confidence and contributed to the decision to divide the project into phases.

The motorway, which opened in 1965, now carries an estimated 60,000 vehicles daily, well above its original capacity; the expansion is intended to improve road safety and connectivity while supporting trade and economic activity, but its success will depend on completing the works on schedule, securing financing for the remaining sections and providing transparent information on costs, tolls and progress.