Ghana records drop in passenger arrivals despite surge in port container traffic — Bank of Ghana report

 

Passenger arrivals through Ghana’s international airport and land borders declined in 2025, reflecting softer cross-border travel activity, according to the Bank of Ghana’s January 2026 Monetary Policy Report.

Arrivals fell by 8.5 percent year-on-year to 111,631 in July 2025, down from 121,995 recorded in July 2024. However, on a month-on-month basis, arrivals showed modest recovery, rising by 3.0 percent compared to June 2025, suggesting a gradual rebound in travel flows.

On a cumulative basis, total passenger arrivals for the first seven months of 2025 reached 722,020, slightly below the 724,412 arrivals recorded during the same period in 2024, reflecting marginal contraction in overall traffic through key entry points, including the Kotoka International Airport and major land borders.

Port container traffic surges

In contrast to the decline in passenger movement, international trade activity at Ghana’s two main seaports recorded significant growth during the review period.

Total laden container traffic at the Tema Port and the Port of Takoradi rose sharply by 28.9 percent year-on-year to 75,183 containers in July 2025, compared to 58,330 containers in July 2024.

Cumulatively, container throughput increased by 23.8 percent to 497,292 containers during the first seven months of 2025, up from 401,845 containers recorded over the same period in 2024.

The Bank of Ghana noted that the strong growth in container traffic signals improving trade activity and cargo movement, even as passenger travel remains subdued. The divergent trends highlight resilience in the country’s trade sector, supported by increased import and export volumes despite softer mobility indicators.