Kotoka terminal lightens the load

The new Terminal 3 at Kotoka International Airport (KIA), opened in September 2018, has considerably lowered pressure on the two other terminals, writes Vincent Chappard.

This major project, which includes the rehabilitation and modernisation of regional airports managed by Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), is in line with the Ghana shared growth and development agenda. It supports the country’s ambition to transform the airport into a gateway for west Africa and position KIA as a regional hub to enhance connectivity, boost local economy, and attract more business and visitors.
The $275 million project has been financed by the African Development Bank (for $120 million), financial institutions and commercial banks.
Terminal 3 can handle up to five million passengers a year, with an expansion potential up to 6.5 million. It can process 1,250 passengers at peak times.
It has a fully automated baggage system, designed in accordance with the latest European Civil Aviation Conference hold baggage screening (ECAC HBS) requirements, to handle 3,500 bags per hour.
Mapa Construction, one of the two major contracting companies under MNG Holding, has designed and built the terminal for international traffic according to latest International Air Transport Association (IATA) requirements.
It spreads across an area of 45,000sqm and features a large retail and commercial area, three business lounges, six fixed links and seven air bridges, plus parking space for more than 700 vehicles at walking distance.
GACL has worked in collaboration with Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) to create efficient airport operations and commercial services at KIA, the only international airport of Ghana.