The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is set to abolish air transport taxes from 1 January 2026, in a bid to reduce the cost of air travel across the region.
ECOWAS consists of 12 countries -Benin, Cape Verde, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea°, Guinea-Bissau°, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. In 2024, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger withdrew from the organization following military coups.
In a statement on December 10, 2025, ECOWAS also said aviation charges related to passengers and security would decrease by 25% starting next year.
The measures stem from a decision made by the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS during their summit in Abuja in December 2024. The organization said the reform responds to “long-standing concerns about the high cost of flying in West Africa.”
ECOWAS argues it has constrained tourism, trade and the free movement of persons and goods. The community believes the reform will lead to “lower airfares, increased passenger traffic, stronger regional airlines and deeper regional integration.”
ECOWAS said it would monitor the implementation of the measures in all member states through a dedicated oversight mechanism.
The announcement is likely to please IATA. In its recent forecasts for year 2026, the International Air Transport Association estimated Africa passengers’ growth to reach 6.0% in RPK in 2026. IATA blamed in its report restrictive bilateral agreements and high passenger charges among others.
According to IATA, African carriers face the highest unit costs globally, with average cost per ATK near 140 US cents, almost double the industry average. Among the many factors contributing to the high cost of operations in Africa are high fuel costs, fragmented markets, older fleets, and average corporate tax rates of 28% (the highest among all regions). The ECOWAS decision can only go in the right direction…
° recently suspended from ECOWAS membership
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