Ghana is positioning itself at the forefront of Africa’s transition to sustainable aviation, as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) partners with the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to begin feasibility studies on the local production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
The move marks a significant step toward green innovation in Ghana’s transport sector, with the potential to transform the country into a regional hub for SAF production—a cleaner alternative to conventional jet fuel.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day workshop on SAF capacity building in Accra, Deputy Director-General of GCAA, Madam Juliet Okine, expressed strong optimism about Ghana’s ability to meet the technical and resource demands of SAF production. She highlighted the abundance of organic waste, used cooking oil, and agricultural by-products as key feedstock already present in the country.
“We believe Ghana has what it takes to become a leader in SAF production across West Africa,” Madam Okine said. “Our natural resources, coupled with political will and private sector engagement, provide the foundation for a successful transition to sustainable aviation.”
The workshop, part of ICAO’s ACT-SAF project funded by the United Kingdom, aims to strengthen Ghana’s technical and institutional capacity to develop and deploy SAF. If the feasibility study—set to unfold over six months—proves successful, Ghana could become one of the first countries in the region to locally produce aviation fuel that reduces lifecycle emissions by up to 80%.
Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe acknowledged the critical role aviation plays in global emissions, contributing approximately 2-3% of the world’s carbon output. “This is our opportunity to shift toward climate-responsible innovation while creating jobs, attracting green investment, and boosting economic resilience,” he said.
Echoing this sentiment, ICAO ACT-SAF Project Coordinator, Mr. Cesar Velarde, called the initiative a dual-purpose solution—environmentally essential and economically strategic. “SAF development offers Ghana the opportunity to be a sustainability champion in aviation,” he said.
Agriculture and Energy sectors are also seeing new opportunity in the project. Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, John Dumelo, pointed to the initiative’s potential to invigorate agriculture by creating new value chains through energy crops and agro-waste. “This is green industrialisation in action,” he said.
In a show of cross-government support, Parliament’s Road and Transport Committee, represented by Mr. Hassan Tampuli, assured stakeholders that legislative backing will be provided to facilitate SAF development and adoption.
With global pressure mounting on the aviation industry to decarbonize, Ghana’s early steps toward local SAF production could serve as a blueprint for other African nations seeking to align climate commitments with economic growth.
The workshop concludes with stakeholder discussions to identify technical, financial, and regulatory challenges—but for Ghana, the SAF journey has already taken flight.
