Here's how much Ghana made from airport tax in 2025
The Ghanaian government collected GH¢1.56 billion in airport tax revenue in 2025, highlighting the significant income generated from air travel in the country.
The figure is contained in the Ministry of Finance’s 2025 Annual Tax Revenue Performance Report, which shows that airport tax collections declined slightly from GH¢1.61 billion recorded in 2024.
Airport tax is imposed on passengers travelling from airports in Ghana, with the amount varying depending on the destination and passenger class. Airlines are responsible for collecting the tax and paying it to the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL).
However, the GH¢1.56 billion collected in airport tax is separate from GACL’s total income.
GACL, the state-owned company responsible for developing, managing and maintaining Ghana’s airports, recorded total income of GH¢2.48 billion in 2025, up from GH¢2.25 billion in 2024. This represented an increase of 10.57%.
The distinction means that while GACL generated billions of cedis from its wider airport operations, government’s recorded airport tax revenue stood at GH¢1.56 billion during the year.
The Ministry of Finance report also shows that airport tax collections fell short of the government’s target for 2025.
Government had projected GH¢1.93 billion in airport tax revenue but collected GH¢1.56 billion, representing an 18.8% shortfall.
The ministry attributed part of the weaker performance to the appreciation of the Ghana cedi against the US dollar, which reduced the cedi value of airport tax collections.
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Airport taxes on international travel are linked to dollar-denominated rates, making exchange-rate movements an important factor in the revenue generated.
The decline in airport tax revenue came despite an increase in passenger traffic at Ghana’s main international gateway.
Accra International Airport handled 3.62 million passengers in 2025, compared with about 3.40 million passengers in 2024.
The 2025 figure comprised about 2.54 million international passengers and 903,227 domestic passengers.
The airport also recorded 47,262 aircraft movements and handled about 46,372 tonnes of cargo during the year, reflecting the scale of activity at Ghana’s main aviation hub.
GACL’s revenue comes from more than airport tax. The company earns income from aeronautical activities and non-aeronautical operations, including charges and commercial activities associated with the airports it manages.
GACL is responsible for Ghana’s government-owned airports and aerodromes.
As a result, the GH¢2.48 billion recorded as GACL’s total income should not be interpreted as government profit. The company has to meet its operational expenses, financing obligations, maintenance costs and other commitments before determining its final profit or loss.
The GH¢1.56 billion airport tax collection, however, represents the publicly reported figure for direct airport-tax revenue in 2025.
The revenue picture could also change following the introduction of new airport infrastructure charges in 2026, which the government says are intended to support infrastructure development within the aviation sector.
The 2025 figures highlight the importance of Ghana’s aviation sector as a source of public revenue, with GH¢1.56 billion collected through airport tax alone, while the state-owned airport operator recorded GH¢2.48 billion in total income from its broader operations.
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Source: www.ghanaweb.com« Previous |
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