ABUJA, December 10, 2025 – West African leaders have taken a decisive step to make air travel within the region significantly cheaper and more accessible by approving the complete abolition of all air transport taxes and a 25 per cent reduction in passenger service and security charges, effective 1 January 2026.
The landmark decision was reached at the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held in Abuja this month. The leaders formally adopted the Supplementary Act on Aviation Charges, Taxes and Fees, a legally binding instrument that requires all remaining 12 member states to immediately begin the process of repealing dozens of national levies that have long made flying within West Africa the most expensive on the continent.
For years, travellers have complained that taxes, surcharges, and fees account for up to 70 per cent of the cost of a regional ticket. A typical economy-class flight between Lagos and Accra, for example, regularly costs more than the same distance from London to New York, largely because of the layered charges imposed by governments and airport authorities. The new ECOWAS law directly targets these obstacles by mandating the removal of all non-ICAO-compliant taxes (including VAT on tickets, tourism development levies, and various solidarity or infrastructure surcharges) and capping passenger service charges and security fees at 75 per cent of their current levels.
Implementation will be closely monitored through a newly created Regional Air Transport Economic Oversight Mechanism based at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja. The body will have the authority to audit member states, publish compliance reports, and recommend sanctions for countries that fail to domesticate the reforms on schedule. It will also track the real-world impact on ticket prices, passenger volumes, airline profitability, and overall economic activity.
The decision builds on years of advocacy by airlines, tourism operators, and regional business groups who have argued that high aviation costs are a major barrier to trade, investment, and people-to-people contact in West Africa. Industry experts predict that once fully implemented, the tax cuts could reduce average regional fares by 30-50 per cent within the first two years, potentially adding millions of new passengers and generating billions of dollars in additional economic activity through increased tourism, business travel, and cargo movement.
The reforms are also seen as a vital boost for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), both of which depend on affordable and reliable air links to function effectively. Cheaper flights are expected to particularly benefit small and medium-sized enterprises that currently rely on expensive road transport across poorly maintained borders.
While Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger formally withdrew from ECOWAS earlier this year to form the Alliance of Sahel States, the remaining members (Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Togo, Benin, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) have committed to moving forward together. Several countries have already begun internal consultations to amend national aviation laws and airport tariff structures ahead of the January 2026 deadline.
Airline executives and tourism stakeholders have welcomed the decision as long overdue. Regional carriers such as Air Peace, ASKY Airlines, and Arik Air have repeatedly highlighted how the current tax regime eats into their margins and forces them to charge fares that price ordinary citizens out of the market. Lower operating costs are expected to improve load factors, enable more frequent schedules, and make many previously unprofitable routes viable again.
For ordinary travellers, the changes promise tangible relief. A family flying from Dakar to Abidjan or from Abuja to Lomé could save hundreds of dollars per trip, making short regional holidays, medical travel, and visits to relatives far more affordable. Diaspora communities, student exchanges, and cross-border traders are among those likely to benefit most.
ECOWAS officials have described the Supplementary Act as one of the most concrete achievements in regional economic integration in recent years. By harmonising charges and eliminating distortive taxes, the community aims to create a more level playing field for West African airlines competing against foreign carriers that have long dominated lucrative routes.
As the Oversight Mechanism begins its work and national legislatures start the domestication process, all eyes will be on whether the promised savings reach consumers’ pockets from the very first day of 2026. If successful, the West African skies could finally become a bridge rather than a barrier, connecting people and markets in a way that has been talked about for decades but rarely delivered, until now.
