The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced that all air ticket taxes across the subregion will be prohibited beginning January 2026, a move aimed at reducing airfares and boosting regional integration.
Chris Appiah, ECOWAS director of transport and communications, disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday during the council of ministers’ meeting.
He explained that the policy was approved by the authority of heads of state and government in December 2024 after years of debate and study.
Appiah said the decision was driven by the need to make air travel more affordable and to strengthen economic ties among member states.
He noted that high airfares in West Africa are largely the result of government taxes and aviation charges, which account for most of the ticket price.
“If you buy a typical ticket in West Africa on any of the airlines, you realise that about 64 per cent, sometimes it will be 70 per cent, of the ticket price, is as a result of taxes and charges,” Appiah said.
A Decade of Studies
According to him, nearly ten years of research confirmed that West Africa has the most expensive air transport services on the continent.
He stressed that the new policy aligns with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines, which discourage excessive taxation on air travel.
“From 1st January 2026, the Heads of State have agreed that all Member States should remove taxes on air transport. These taxes are against ICAO’s guidelines and suppress demand rather than support growth,” he added.
Appiah explained that the policy is central to ECOWAS’ integration agenda, anchored on connectivity and the free movement of people, goods, and services. He warned that the current tax regime has stifled tourism, education, health, and trade.
“If you want to buy goods from Lagos to Dakar, for instance, a trader will not pay less than $3,000 in tickets, and a lot of that is taxes,” he said.
Airlines and Implementation
The ECOWAS director assured that the bloc is working closely with airlines to ensure that once taxes are removed, ticket prices will also drop. He said this would allow citizens of West Africa to travel more freely and affordably.
He contrasted the region’s struggles with other parts of Africa, noting that charges in West Africa are sometimes up to 67% higher than elsewhere.
“That is why airlines like Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airlines, and Royal Air Maroc are doing very well, while our region is suffering,” he said.
Appiah confirmed that ECOWAS is engaging member states, parliaments, and aviation stakeholders to guarantee effective implementation by January 2026.
Could this help unlock West Africa’s air travel for ordinary citizens, or will airlines find new justifications to keep fares high despite the tax ban?
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