A commercial motorcycle taxi. The word is borrowed from Nigeria.
Fastest way through Accra traffic by a wide margin, and the most dangerous.
Commercial use of motorcycles to carry fare-paying passengers remains prohibited under the Road Traffic Regulations 2012 (LI 2180), despite recurring political promises to legalise it. Okadas operate openly regardless, and app-based motorcycle services have appeared alongside them.
If you use one: insist on a helmet, agree the fare before getting on, and never take one in the rain — Accra floods, drain covers go missing, and the combination is genuinely dangerous.
Head injuries from okada crashes are a well-documented burden on Accra’s trauma units.