In Ghana, they’re pioneering the transportation of the future

In Ghana right now, something could very well change the lives of millions of people who take their tro-tros every morning to go to work, take their children to school, or carry their groceries to the market. The country is in the process of radically rethinking its public transportation system. At the end of 2024, something few people would have imagined just a few years ago: brand-new electric buses rolling through the streets of Accra. These two routes were not chosen at random; they are vital thoroughfares used every day by hundreds of thousands of workers, students, and families traveling between the residential neighborhoods of the suburbs and Accra’s commercial and administrative center. Making them the first to benefit from these new buses is a way to put modernity at the service of those who need it most. Metro Mass Transit (MMT) operates this fleet of ten electric buses as part of a broader effort to reduce CO2 emissions and offer commuters the most affordable means of transportation possible. Charging stations have been installed in Adentan and Ashaiman. The logistics have been carefully planned, operators trained, and routes optimized. This is not a showcase project; it is the beginning of structural change. And this momentum does not stop at electric buses. In May 2025, Ghanaian transport operators announced a 15% reduction in fares across the entire network of shared taxis, urban tro-tros, intercity routes, and freight transport, directly linked to the drop in fuel prices. This decision was coordinated between the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC). In practical terms, for a family that relies on public transportation for its daily commute, this represents real savings, week after week. push toward greater accessibility is also a matter of social justice. Basic services—markets, healthcare facilities, and schools—are out of reach for many people who walk or use tro-tros. Currently, only 20% of Accra’s residents can walk to a market in less than 30 minutes. Residents of the outskirts face even greater access challenges. Improving public transportation therefore means improving access to healthcare, education, and the economy—it means breaking the cycle of geographic exclusion that penalizes the most vulnerable. Technology is also playing a role in this transformation. A dedicated app, developed by Accra’s OpenStreetMap community, now allows users to navigate the city via public transit with a map of tro-tros available on Android and iOS. For a young student arriving in the capital for the first time, for a worker looking for the fastest route between two neighborhoods, or for a parent wanting to make sure their child gets home safely, this app changes everything. It transforms an informal and opaque system into something clear, predictable, and reassuring. Road infrastructure on the outskirts remains precarious, the old tro-tros haven’t disappeared overnight, and the needs of a city growing at breakneck speed often outstrip the available solutions. But the direction is clear: Ghana is patiently and ambitiously building a public transit system that reflects its people—popular, accessible, and vibrant. And for all those who take the bus every morning with their groceries, their children, or their weariness, this transformation can’t come soon enough.