The Ministry of Transport has formally announced that Kotoka International Airport has reverted to its original name, Accra International Airport.
In a press release issued on February 23, 2026, the Ministry said the decision restores the facility to its “former and internationally recognised name,” noting that the airport was originally known as Accra International Airport before it was redesignated in 1969.
According to the statement, the renaming will not affect airport operations, safety standards or international travel arrangements.
The Ministry emphasised that within the records of the International Civil Aviation Organization, the airport code has remained “ACC”, underscoring continuity within global aviation systems.
The Ministry explained that implementation of the change will involve a “systematic update of official documentation, statutory instruments where necessary, airport signage, digital platforms, aviation publications, and related communication materials.”
It further called on the general public, stakeholders and international partners to support and cooperate with the relevant authorities to ensure what it described as a “smooth and seamless transition.”
The statement, issued by the Public Relations Unit of the Ministry of Transport, expressed appreciation for the continued cooperation of all stakeholders.
With the February 23 decision, Ghana has completed a historical full circle, ending a 57-year period during which the country’s primary international gateway had the name of a military coup leader.
The airport’s history dates back to the 1940s, when it began as a military airfield used by the British Royal Air Force during World War II.
After the war, the facility was handed over to civilian authorities and gradually transitioned into a commercial passenger hub.
In 1956, Nkrumah launched a major development project to convert the military base into a civilian terminal. The project was completed in 1958, creating a terminal with an annual capacity of 500,000 passengers. It was officially opened as Accra International Airport.
The airport officially began its civilian life in 1958 under the name Accra International Airport.
It was a central part of President Kwame Nkrumah’s post-independence vision to transform the former Royal Air Force base into a modern aviation hub.
Following the 1966 coup that overthrew Nkrumah, the military government known as the National Liberation Council took control of the country.
In 1969, the National Liberation Council officially renamed Accra International Airport to Kotoka International Airport.
The change was made to honour Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, a key leader of the 1966 coup who was killed in 1967 during a failed counter-coup attempt known as the “Guitar Boy” coup, and he was killed at a site that now forms part of the airport’s forecourt.
The renaming was formalised through the General Kotoka Trust Decree, 1969 (NLCD 339), the legal instrument passed by the National Liberation Council to memorialise Kotoka.
At the time, the military government and many of its supporters regarded him as a liberator from Nkrumah’s rule.
The current government’s decision to restore the name Accra International Airport has been attributed to several strategic and historical considerations.
A key reason cited was the recognition of the indigenous Ga people of Accra, who provided the land for the airport’s construction.
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga once stated that returning to the original name addresses what he described as a historical wrong by acknowledging the people who sacrificed their land.
Officials also described “Accra International Airport” as the facility’s most internationally recognised name, arguing that restoring it strengthens “Brand Ghana” and makes the capital easier to market globally for tourism and airline partnerships.
Additionally, proponents of the change argued that maintaining the name of a military coup leader on a major national asset was inconsistent with Ghana’s democratic values and constitutional governance.
The debate over honouring a coup architect became a central factor driving the renaming.
With the restoration of its original 1958 designation, Accra International Airport now carries a name that reflects both its historical beginnings and a new chapter in Ghana’s history.
