The Airport Residential Area sits between the city and Kotoka International Airport, beside the office towers and hotels of Airport City. It is leafy, expensive and extremely convenient, and it lives with a runway at the bottom of the garden.
At a glance
| District | Ayawaso West Wuogon Municipal |
| Rent band | Highest, band 5 of 5 |
| Best for | Short commutes to Airport City, frequent flyers, corporate lets |
| The catch | The price, and aircraft noise on the streets nearest the runway |
| Near | Kotoka airport, Airport City, Accra Mall, Cantonments, East Legon |
The district figures describe the whole assembly, which also holds East Legon, Roman Ridge and Dzorwulu. Ayawaso West Wuogon Municipal counted 75,303 people in the 2021 census.
What it is like
A grid of quiet residential streets, walled houses and newer apartment blocks, with a growing number of offices, embassies, restaurants and small hotels mixed in. It is busier than Cantonments and far calmer than Osu.
Its real advantage is position. Airport City’s offices, the airport itself and Accra Mall at Tetteh Quarshie are all close, and the roads out of the city to the east start nearby.
Rent and housing
The top rent band. Most of what is let here is:
- Serviced apartments and newer blocks, frequently let to companies
- Walled detached houses, many converted to offices
- Boys quarters behind the older houses
Much of it is priced in US dollars. If you are paying it yourself, ask for a cedi price, or agree the exchange rate in writing.
— Rent in Accra, every district ranked — The rent advance
Getting around
- To Airport City, a short drive or, for some streets, a walk. For anyone working there, this is the whole argument.
- To the airport, minutes, which matters more than it sounds if you fly often and have seen the traffic on the roads to Kotoka at 6pm.
- Into the centre, reasonable outside rush hour. Liberation Road is the main artery and it carries a great deal.
- Ride-hailing is the everyday option for anyone without a driver.
— Getting around Accra — Kotoka airport, terminal by terminal
Schools and healthcare
Schools. The international schools of Cantonments and the private schools of East Legon are both within reach, which is why corporate families land here.
Hospitals. The 37 Military Hospital and the private hospitals and clinics of the Airport and Ridge areas are close.
— International schools in Accra — Hospitals in Accra
Power, water, flooding and noise
- Power is on prepaid ECG meters, and most houses and blocks have a generator. Ask what it covers.
- Water is generally better here than in the outer city. A polytank is still standard.
- Flooding is a question for the particular street. Ask about the rains.
- Aircraft noise is the one thing that is particular to this area. The streets nearest the runway hear every departure; a few blocks away it fades. Spend time at the house during the evening departures before you commit.
— Electricity and dumsor — Water in Accra
Daily life
- Restaurants and cafes in the neighbourhood and in Airport City
- Shopping at Accra Mall and the supermarkets around it
- Hotels that double as places to eat, meet and swim
- Nightlife is quieter than Osu or East Legon, and a short ride away
— Where to shop in Accra — Accra nightlife
Who it suits
It suits anyone working in Airport City, frequent travellers, and people on corporate postings who want to be close to offices, schools and the airport at once.
It does not suit anyone paying a dollar rent from a cedi salary, or anyone sensitive to noise on the streets closest to the runway.
— Living in Cantonments — Living in East Legon
Before you sign
- Stand in the garden during the evening departures
- Get a cedi price, or the exchange rate in writing
- Check whether the building is residential or has become offices, and what that means for security and noise at weekends
- Confirm what the service charge covers
- Get the advance and the period it covers in writing
— Where to live in Accra — Your tenancy agreement — Housing and land scams