By: John S. Morlu II, CPA
So, you’ve landed in Accra — the capital of Ghana, where the sun shines bright, the suits are tight, and the rent is out of sight.
You were probably expecting a tropical paradise. Beaches, coconut trees, smiling faces.
Well, you got that… plus traffic that hasn’t moved since last Tuesday, potholes deep enough to hide a Toyota Corolla, and real estate prices that make you check your bank app just to cry.
Real Estate: Where Dreams Go to Die
In Accra, you can rent a two-bedroom apartment for $2,000 a month — and that’s considered a deal. The agent will tell you, “It’s fully furnished!” but when you walk in, it’s just a mattress on the floor, a plastic chair, and a fan that spins like it’s on life support.
And the worst part? You’ll still say yes. Because it’s close to Osu, or Airport, or Labone — and in Accra, location is everything… even if the location has no running water.
Minecraft Roads: Now in 3D!
Driving in Accra is like playing a video game — Level 1: Dodge the pothole. Level 2: Survive the trotro. Level 3: Drive through flooding with no brakes. Bonus round: Police checkpoint with no reason.
🚗 Pro tip: If you get stuck in traffic for three hours, that just means it’s Tuesday.
Lagos Avenue Madness
Now, let’s talk East Legon. Specifically, Lagos Avenue — arguably the busiest, bougiest stretch of Accra.
Behind our JS Morlu Ghana office — yes, smack in the heart of Lagos Avenue — mansions are going up on all sides like it’s an episode of Million Dollar Listings: Accra Edition.
One afternoon, I decided to check a house just around the corner.
The price?
Nine hundred eighty-nine thousand US dollars.
Yes, you read that right: $989,000 USD.
In Accra.
On Lagos Avenue.
In East Legon.
With dusty roads, no street signs, and backup generators as standard fixtures.
To compare — that kind of money gets you a mini-mansion in suburban Washington, DC where I lived. And over there? The roads don’t double as swimming pools during rainy season.
Fun Fact #1:
Accra real estate has no price logic. A mansion next to a cow pen is $3,000/month, but a decent apartment in a dusty alley with barking dogs is $2,800. Why? Because the landlord said so.
And you can’t negotiate — unless your bargaining skills are sharper than a plantain knife.
Welcome to Accra’s Hustle Economy
In Accra, everyone is a “CEO.” Everyone has a “foundation.” Everyone is starting a tech company — even if they still send invoices via WhatsApp.
You’ll find:
- Uber drivers with master’s degrees in engineering.
- Food delivery guys with LinkedIn profiles.
- Street vendors who accept Bitcoin and Mobile Money.
Even the goats here have ambition. They casually cross the road like they’re late for a board meeting.
Ghana’s MoMo Game: Not Just M-PESA — It’s the National Love Language
Sure, Kenya brags about M-PESA, but in Ghana? We’ve got MoMo (MTN Mobile Money), Vodafone Cash, and a nationwide talent for begging you to “please send me something small.”
Here, MoMo is not just a payment system — it’s a lifestyle.
- Wanna buy a coconut? MoMo.
- Need to donate to church? MoMo.
- Paying for kelewele at midnight from a woman who has no change? MoMo.
- Trotro mate shouting at you while stuck in traffic? Somehow, MoMo.
- Bribed a policeman? Shhh… MoMaybe.
And be careful: the moment you hit “send”, the MoMo agent will hit you with, “Sorry boss, network is down.”
Welcome to your first spiritual character development test.
MoMo Trauma Is Real
I was sitting at a 4-star hotel in Airport West, sipping my overpriced juice, when the waiter sighed like he’d just survived a war.
I asked what was wrong.
He said:
“Boss, the worst thing to happen to me… is Mobile Money.”
This man went from salaried employee to family ATM in 24 hours.
His girlfriend, his sisters, his grandma — even strangers from the village — all know exactly when he gets paid.
The moment that MoMo alert hits his phone, so do the texts:
“Baby, send me small for data.”
“Uncle, I beg… my school portal is closing.”
“Bro, I dey hospital… no dey ask which one, just send am.”
The poor guy said he once bought airtime for his girlfriend, her cousin, and her cousin’s hairdresser — all in one day. And when he tried to put her on a budget, she left him like he’d committed a felony.
She told him:
“So you are now measuring my worth with Ghana cedis?”
Then ghosted him like bad Wi-Fi.
But he smiled when he said it.
“Her departure was the best gift of my life. Now I can afford meat in my jollof again.”
MoMo Fun Fact:
In Ghana, MoMo is so normal that if you don’t have it, people look at you like you’re a spy.
Someone once said,
“You don’t use MoMo? Are you even Ghanaian?”
MoMo has changed Ghana forever — from dating dynamics to funeral contributions. It’s the one app that can make you broke faster than Uber and more popular than Instagram.
Just don’t let everyone know when you get paid… or suddenly you’ll have 47 cousins and a surprise wedding to sponsor.
Why It’s Still Worth It
Here’s the thing: Despite the drama, Accra is alive.
People wake up at 4am just to beat traffic and still show up to work with a smile (and sometimes a bucket of waakye).
They’ll invite you to their cousin’s wedding even if you just met five minutes ago. And somehow, despite everything — the heat, the cost, the potholes — people are dreaming, building, and surviving.
Final Thought:
Accra will test your patience, stretch your wallet, and confuse your GPS. But it’ll also teach you how to laugh at chaos and hustle with purpose.
Because here, even the streets have degrees.
Author: John S. Morlu II, CPA is the CEO and Chief Strategist of JS Morlu, leads a globally recognized public accounting and management consultancy firm. Under his visionary leadership, JS Morlu has become a pioneer in developing cutting-edge technologies across B2B, B2C, P2P, and B2G verticals. The firm’s groundbreaking innovations include AI-powered reconciliation software (ReckSoft.com) and advanced cloud accounting solutions (FinovatePro.com), setting new industry standards for efficiency, accuracy, and technological excellence.