As Accra moves into the final days before Christmas, traffic congestion has evolved from a seasonal inconvenience into a powerful economic force shaping how, where, and why people spend. What is unfolding on the city’s roads is not only a transport crisis but a real-time market adjustment, one in which households, traders, and service providers are recalculating the value of time against the price of goods and increasingly choosing proximity over tradition.
From early morning, major routes linking residential areas to the Central Business District are already saturated. By midweek, congestion has extended beyond the usual morning and evening peaks, locking up roads through most of the day. Commuters travelling from areas such as Kasoa, Adenta, Madina, and Tema report spending between two and four hours on trips that ordinarily take less than half the time. As Christmas Day approaches, the prospect of even heavier traffic is pushing many residents to rethink the long-held ritual of travelling into central Accra for festive shopping.
For households, the economics are becoming difficult to justify. A journey into Makola, Kantamanto, or Circle now comes with hidden costs that go far beyond the price of goods. Fuel burned while vehicles sit idle, higher transport fares, and hours lost in traffic are eroding any savings gained from cheaper market prices. “If I go to town, I will spend almost the same money I want to save on fuel and transport,” a civil servant living in Adenta said. “This year, I am buying everything around my area and keeping my sanity.”
This shift in consumer behaviour is already visible in neighbourhood economies. Community markets, roadside vendors, and small supermarkets in residential areas are experiencing stronger demand as shoppers opt for convenience and predictability. For many of these businesses, the Christmas congestion has become an unexpected catalyst for growth. A shop owner in East Legon said customers who previously travelled to the city centre for bulk purchases are now buying locally. “They tell me they cannot sit in traffic for hours anymore,” she said. “They would rather pay a little extra here than suffer on the road.”
The redistribution of spending has broader economic implications. Central markets still attract heavy crowds, but shoppers are increasingly selective, limiting purchases to essential items and leaving quickly to avoid return traffic. This is reducing impulse buying, traditionally a major driver of festive sales. Traders who rely on high volumes during the Christmas season are feeling the pressure. “People are not browsing like before,” a clothing seller at Kantamanto said. “They come with a list, buy fast, and rush away.”
Transport operators, meanwhile, are facing a different kind of Christmas challenge. While demand for movement remains high, congestion has slashed productivity. Commercial drivers are completing fewer trips per day while consuming more fuel. Ride-hailing fares have climbed during peak hours, reflecting both time spent in traffic and rising operating costs. For passengers, this has made long-distance shopping trips even less attractive, reinforcing the turn toward neighbourhood spending.
The congestion is also reshaping how time is valued in the urban economy. For self-employed workers, artisans, and small business owners, hours lost in traffic translate directly into lost income. Many are choosing to forgo city-centre shopping altogether to protect working time. “If I sit in traffic for three hours, I lose jobs,” a photographer based in Spintex said. “I would rather buy nearby and use that time to work.”
Digital commerce and delivery services are benefiting from these shifts. With the cost of delivery now often lower than the combined expense of fuel, transport, and lost time, more households are placing orders from home. This trend, already growing in recent years, has been accelerated by the intensity of Christmas traffic, highlighting how urban congestion can speed up structural changes in consumer behaviour.
As the final countdown to Christmas begins, Accra presents a vivid picture of adaptation under pressure. The city is alive with festive energy, yet beneath the lights and music lies a sober reassessment of cost and convenience. Traffic congestion is no longer just slowing movement. It is redirecting money, altering shopping patterns, and redefining the economics of Christmas.
For many residents, the decision has already been made. This Christmas, the most rational choice is not the lowest price in town, but the nearest one. In a city where hours can disappear in traffic, proximity has become the new currency of the festive season.
