Accra

Is Accra safe?

Yes, for most visitors who take normal big-city care. Ghana recorded 1.8 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2022 (UNODC), a fraction of Lagos or Nairobi, and there is no insurgency anywhere near the capital. The catch is that crime is moving the wrong way. The UK Foreign Office says robbery, burglary and serious assault have become more common since 2021, sometimes with weapons, and that foreign nationals have been robbed at gunpoint.

The bigger everyday dangers are less dramatic: crossing the road, the polluted air and the surf. We score Accra 56, between Nairobi and Cairo, and well above Lagos.

Crime in Accra: what to watch for

Street theft is the most likely problem. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says pickpocketing and bag-snatching are increasing in Accra, and the US State Department says crimes of opportunity target people who look wealthy or vulnerable, usually at night and in quiet places.

Specific risks named by the FCDO:

• Kotoka airport. British travellers have been robbed by impostors pretending to be their driver around the arrivals hall. Ask for the driver's name and ID before you get in.
• Cars in traffic. Attacks on vehicles are increasing, sometimes with weapons, and a British national died in one in August 2021. Police name Graphic Road, the George Walker Bush Highway, the Accra Mall roundabout, the Teshie-Nungua road, the GIMPA road and the Labadi and Kokrobite beach areas.
• Burglary. Homes in Airport Residential, Cantonments, Ridge and Kokrobite, areas popular with foreigners, have been burgled, more often around Christmas.
• Cards and scams. Card skimming is common, and romance, business and job scams target foreigners.

The FCDO also notes media reports of kidnapping for ransom in Accra, Takoradi and Kumasi, including of foreign nationals. On long stays, avoid predictable routines. If someone tries to rob you, the US advice is not to resist.

Demonstrations in Accra are normally well policed and peaceful, according to the FCDO, but can block roads at short notice.

After dark

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary tells visitors to be particularly careful after nightfall, to avoid walking alone and to avoid travelling alone in taxis after dark. Gallup's 2025 survey found 65% of Ghanaians feel safe walking alone at night, close to Nepal and Kazakhstan and well above Nigeria's 53%. In practice, eat out in a group, and book a car home.

Taxis are a weak point. The FCDO says drivers of tro-tros (shared minibuses) and app-based taxis are not centrally licensed, and that crimes have happened in all kinds of taxis, including licensed ones. Check the driver's ID and the state of the car before you get in.

Roads are the biggest danger

The National Road Safety Authority recorded 420 road deaths in Greater Accra in 2025, up 10.2% on 2024, and 4,533 crashes, more than any other region. On the region's 2021 census population of about 5.4 million, that is about 8 deaths per 100,000, an official count that misses many deaths. Nationally, 2,949 people died on the roads in 2025, the highest toll in 35 years, and pedestrian deaths rose from 590 to 704. In the first four months of 2026, 43 pedestrians were killed in Greater Accra alone. WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary Ghana's death rate at 36.6 per 100,000 in 2023, close to Kenya's 35.0.

On foot, cross only where traffic is slow or controlled, and do not walk along unlit highways after dark. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says street lighting is poor or absent in many places and that serious crashes are much more likely at night.

Air, health, floods and the sea

IQAir measured an average PM2.5PM2.5Tiny airborne particles 2.5 micrometres across or smaller. They reach deep into the lungs and are the air pollutant most linked to early death.More in the glossary of 36.3 µg/m³ in Accra in 2024, about seven times the WHO guideline and similar to Cairo. People with asthma or heart conditions should bring their medicines. Malaria is present, so talk to a travel clinic about tablets well before you go. The US says emergency services are limited outside the city and serious cases need medical evacuation, so buy insurance that covers it.

Floods are the main natural hazard. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says heavy rain can flood Accra and its surroundings and disrupt roads, power and other services. The worst disaster came on 3 June 2015, when floodwater contaminated with fuel caught fire at a filling station and more than 150 people died. Earthquakes are a smaller but real risk: the Ghana Geological Survey Authority says Accra is earthquake-prone with active faults, after tremors up to magnitude 4.2 in 2020, and a 1939 quake killed more than ten people.

On the beaches, the FCDO says rip tides and undertows along the southern coast drown adults and children. Swim only where locals and lifeguards say it is safe.

How we scored it

Violent crime (72) is the strongest factor, scored below its homicide band because armed robbery is rising. Health and environment (40) and traffic safety (45) are the weakest, reflecting air about seven times the WHO guideline and rising pedestrian deaths. Walking at night (62) follows the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary's advice not to walk alone after dark and Gallup's 65% for Ghana. The cap from Ghana's conflict score (66 + 35 = 101) does not limit Accra's score.