Parliamentarians from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened in Lomé from May 6-9, 2025, and adopted a series of recommendations aimed at lowering the cost of airline tickets within the sub-region. The move sends a strong signal to governments, urging them to eliminate several taxes by January 1, 2026, to make air travel more affordable in West Africa.
At the conclusion of the session, held in the Togolese capital, the West African elected officials called for the abolition of four specific taxes: the ticket tax, the tourist tax, the solidarity tax, and the tax on travel abroad.
They also recommended a 25% reduction in fees for passenger services and airport security. “It is imperative to act to make air transport accessible and competitive,” said Fanta Conté, co-chair of the presidium, at the close of the meeting.
These proposals are part of a broader effort to reform aviation sector taxation. The parliamentarians recommend developing a regulatory framework to cap taxes and fees, creating a regional fund to support airlines, and establishing a single West African airspace to pool infrastructure and optimize operating costs.
According to the meeting’s findings, taxes and duties in the ECOWAS region are, on average, 103% higher than in other parts of the world. Security fees are 70% higher, and government taxes are 47.4% higher. This surcharge translates directly into higher airfares, with increases of 20% on domestic flights, 48.6% on regional routes, and 36.5% on international flights.
Mamadou Sako, co-chair of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Joint Infrastructure Committee, emphasized the political dimension of the issue. “The situation has been addressed, the solutions have been identified. What is now needed is a firm and collective will to move forward and strengthen regional integration,” he said.
Finally, the parliamentarians called for the establishment of a monitoring committee to support the implementation of these measures and ensure compliance with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
