At the December 2024 Summit in Abuja, Heads of State and Government formally adopted a regional policy that targets the removal of taxes on air transport and mandates a 25-per-cent reduction in passenger and security charges. The measures, due to take effect on 1 January 2026, represent one of the most ambitious aviation overhauls in the bloc’s history.
For years, West Africa’s aviation growth has been stifled by a complex web of taxes, charges and fees imposed on both travellers and airlines. According to studies conducted by ECOWAS in collaboration with the African Union, the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the region is among the most expensive in the world for air travel. Passengers can face as many as 66 separate charges on a single journey, while airlines often contend with more than 100 distinct fees—costs that ultimately inflate ticket prices and deter travel.
These barriers, ECOWAS warns, have far-reaching consequences. High airfares restrict mobility, suppress tourism, impede trade and weaken the bloc’s long-standing goal of deeper regional integration and seamless movement across borders.
The newly adopted Supplementary Act on Aviation Charges, Taxes and Fees aims to reverse these trends by aligning West Africa’s aviation framework with global standards and easing structural constraints. Lower ticket prices, stronger airline performance, more robust airport operations and expanded economic opportunities for surrounding communities are among the anticipated benefits.
Member states have been instructed to revise national laws and policies to ensure full compliance. Airlines, for their part, are expected to pass on the cost savings directly to passengers rather than absorb them.
To support implementation, ECOWAS will introduce a Regional Air Transport Economic Oversight Mechanism to monitor adherence and advance complementary projects, including shared aircraft maintenance facilities and harmonised safety standards.
If effectively executed, the reforms could cut ticket prices by up to 40 per cent. ECOWAS says such reductions would not only make flying more accessible to families, businesses and travellers but also strengthen the long-term financial sustainability of the aviation sector while advancing the region’s integration objectives.