Accra at a Crossroads: Building a Transport System for All

In Accra, daily mobility is shaped by walking and trotros—informal minibuses that serve as the backbone of mobility for most residents. Yet, despite their vital role, these modes face significant accessibility challenges, limiting access to essential services (Accessibility for all to unlock sustainability mobility – a gendered approach English/French). Meanwhile, private cars—used by a small, affluent segment of the population—offer the best access, highlighting inequities in urban mobility.

This imbalance is symptomatic of a deeper issue: Accra’s transport services have not kept pace with its explosive growth. Between 1985 and 2020, the city’s urban footprint expanded by 400%. But this rapid urbanisation has been met with fragmented governance and weak coordination, leaving transport infrastructure lagging. Today, cars occupy 75% of road space, despite serving only a privileged few—fuelling congestion, rising motorisation rates, and increasing pollution as well as emissions.

The need to rethink Accra’s transport future has never been more urgent. By 2050, Accra’s urban footprint is expected to more than double, with the population approaching 10 million. This growth will stretch far beyond current administrative boundaries, demanding a forward-looking and inclusive approach to urban mobility.

In collaboration with the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE), the OECD Sahel and West Africa Club explored potential scenarios to inform the city’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. These scenarios envision a multimodal transport system that integrates trotros with formal bus transit, aligns transport networks with essential public services, and strengthens infrastructure for walking and cycling. A co-authored policy brief is now available in French and English and calls for a redesign of Accra’s streets for a more accessible, sustainable and inclusive future.

GAPTE plays a key role in this transformation. As a quasi-metropolitan transport authority, it is uniquely positioned to coordinate across stakeholders. But to lead effectively, GAPTE needs stable funding, political legitimacy and strong institutional backing.

Implementing dedicated bus lanes for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) would allow buses to bypass traffic, reduce commute times and boost productivity by improving access to jobs and essential services.

BRT routes can also expand incrementally, offering flexibility for strained public budgets. Trotro network extensions and BRT routes could be prioritised to communities that stand to benefit the most, such as informal settlements. Lanes could also be prioritised based on traffic flows, e.g., major highways to connect the business district to other city centres. 

While effects would vary by district, newly urbanised areas stand to gain the most from the extension of trotro network and BRT. This scenario would increase access to healthcare facilities, markets, and primary schools, all within 30 minutes. 

The study also highlights the value of coordinating land use with the extension of a BRT-trotro network. Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) places essential services along transit routes to improve accessibility. Adding essential services along BRT routes, in locations identified by GAPTE, would enable 68% of residents to access healthcare facilities and 59% to reach markets within 30 minutes.

Phasing investments based on distance to services, population density, and commuter patterns can support sustainable growth. In a TOD scenario prioritising underserved zones, areas such as Botianw and Gomoa Nyanyano could see over 80% of residents gain access to markets and healthcare facilities within 30 minutes. 

Even though most residents walk in Accra, they often report unsafe conditions such as poor lighting. One option is to establish a network of cycling and pedestrian pathways connecting key areas within Greater Accra, including Accra Central, Medina, and Tema. 

While cycling uptake remains low, the study suggests that a citywide cycling network along major roads could increase accessibility. This scenario would give 36% more residents access to markets and 24% more access to healthcare facilities, compared to walking. Incorporating cycling into the local culture offers a low-cost, low-emission alternative, reducing emissions by up to 80% per trip compared to cars. Local programmes such as Learn-to-Ride, bike subsidies, and repair training are already helping spread the benefits of non-motorised transport (NMT) across Accra. 

Another way to lessen the burden of walking time for residents is by creating proximity—shortening the distance between where people live and where they need to go(Shaping expanding cities for accessible transport - Proximity and road networks English/French). For example, bringing market locations closer to residential areas, improves accessibility on foot within 30 minutes. 12.4% (or approximately 681 000) more people gain access to a market. Similarly, for healthcare facilities, not presented here, approximately 287 000 more people (5%) have access in a 30-minute walk.

The transformation of Accra’s transport system holds lessons far beyond the city itself. As urbanisation accelerates across West Africa and the continent, Accra’s experience can serve as a blueprint for cities facing similar challenges. By combining qualitative insights with quantitative data, this approach demonstrates how to reimagine mobility systems to be more accessible, inclusive, and sustainable. But the implications go further: there is an urgent need to embed these principles into broader regional frameworks—ensuring that mobility planning is not only local, but also multi-scalar, adaptive and iterative. The journey toward accessible, sustainable and inclusive transport may start in Accra, but its lessons can help shape the future of mobility across the region.