A development project was launched in 1956 by President Kwame Nkrumah to reconfigure the structure into a terminal building.

The terminal opened to passengers on 15 September 2018 and officially inaugurated on 2 October by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Airport City is expected to host multiple stations on the proposed Accra Sky Train system.

[39] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic flights in Ghana were suspended from 30 March 2020, but resumed on 1 May 2020 under enhanced sanitary protocols.

[citation needed] The international air borders of Ghana reopened for travelers on 1 September 2020, subject to certain conditions.

[48] In February 2021, the process of awarding the contract for testing at the airport to Frontiers Healthcare came under scrutiny for its lack of transparency during the vetting hearings for various ministers appointed to the second cabinet of President Nana Akufo-Addo.

[49][50] In March 2022, the parliamentary opposition threatened to demonstrate at the airport in protest against the continued high costs for on-arrival testing of passengers.

[51] Industry experts also warned that the high costs of testing were likely to suppress passenger numbers for 2022 if not addressed as a priority.