GHANA: Technical Assistance on Mobilizing Private Capital to Bus Rapid Transits in Kumasi

Ghana’s rapid urbanization has led to mobility constraints and inadequate public transport systems in its major urban centers. Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region and the country’s second most populated city, has a population of 3.5 million and is growing at 6 percent annually. Kumasi faces challenges like urban sprawl, increased commuting times, and lack of connectivity between low-income areas and jobs. The aging, inefficient minibus fleets of the informal transport sector, which filled service gaps left by the collapse of public operators in the 1990s, now provide unsafe, undependable transit.

To improve mobility in Kumasi, the World Bank launched the Kumasi Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project (KUMAP) in November 2022. Aligned with Ghana’s goals to reduce poverty, expand basic services, manage climate risks, and build resilience, KUMAP will support the development of modern, sustainable transport in the city. A key component of the project is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system to be delivered through PPPs.

PPIAF is supporting KUMAP with technical assistance that will mobilize private capital for KUMAP’s transformational BRT initiative. With PPIAF funding, experts will thoroughly review Ghana’s experience implementing transport PPPs, rigorously assess various BRT procurement models, and recommend an optimal PPP structure for Kumasi. A detailed financial viability analysis will be conducted to attract competent, qualified private partners to the project. The team will also closely identify gaps in laws, institutions, regulations, and capacity that could hinder the implementation of complex BRT PPPs.

Beyond the analysis, PPIAF will provide hands-on inputs to strengthen the BRT business model and ensure close coordination between stakeholders. Extensive workshops will substantially build capacity in the transport agencies that are leading the implementation of KUMAP. The activity is expected to dramatically improve affordable mobility for the urban poor and significantly reduce emissions from Ghana’s old, inefficient transport fleet.

This activity will demonstrate how strong public-private collaboration and climate-smart transit solutions can make urban mobility more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient. Ghana’s proactive reforms and experience can then inform transport planning across Africa for years to come. With PPIAF’s strategic assistance, Kumasi will serve as a model for accessible, modern public transport systems in the region.