ECOWAS Member States Asked to Eliminate Taxes on Air Travel to Develop Aviation Industry

•As community’s court begins landmark external session in Lagos, hears 35 cases across W/Africa

Michael Olugbode in Abuja and Wale Igbintade in Lagos

Member states of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have been asked to adopt a new regional strategy of eliminating all taxes on air travel in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.

The advice was given by a committee of aviation experts at the Sixth Legislature Delocalised Meeting of the Joint Committee on Infrastructure, Energy and Mines, Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources of ECOWAS Parliament held in Lomé, Togo.

In another development, ECOWAS Community Court of Justice commenced a landmark external session in Lagos yesterday, reaffirming its dedication to justice, regional integration, and human rights protection in West Africa.

During the opening ceremony of the meeting, ECOWAS Court President, Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, who delivered the keynote address, thanked the government and people of Lagos State for their warm hospitality and support.

The meeting attracted dignitaries from across the region, reflecting the court’s growing visibility and influence.

ECOWAS also proposed a 25 per cent reduction in airport passenger service and security charges, effective from January 1, 2026, following consultations with airport and civil aviation authorities.

The committee emphasised that savings from those measures must be reflected in ticket pricing structures, urging airlines to pass on the benefits to consumers.

Airports were encouraged to adopt business-friendly practices to improve efficiency, cut costs, and grow non-aeronautical revenue streams.

An oversight committee was expected to be established by June to monitor implementation, while the full proposal awaited formal endorsement by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in the coming months.

According to the report submitted for review by the consultant, the regional organs must ensure that airports embrace business practices that will enable them to cover the 25 per cent reduction.

Director for Transport at the ECOWAS Commission, Chris Appiah, while speaking with journalists, highlighted the transformative potential of the policy.

Appiah stated that cancelling certain taxes and reducing charges by 25 per cent could stimulate air travel demand in the sub-region by up to 40 per cent.

He said, “We’ve conducted comprehensive studies and found that ECOWAS airports charge significantly more than their counterparts elsewhere in Africa – up to 103 per cent more in passenger service charges and 53 per cent more in security charges.”

He explained that the policy aimed to remove taxes that are non-compliant with ICAO standards, such as security and tourism levies, and ensure transparent pricing structures. “You don’t tax air transport to promote tourism – it defeats the purpose.”

The policy dates back to a 2014 summit of ECOWAS Heads of State in Abuja, where leaders recognised the economic implications of exorbitant airfares and tasked the commission with developing a solution.

Working with global and regional partners, including IATA, AFRAA, AFCAC, and the African Union, ECOWAS crafted a harmonised strategy to align with international best practices.

Appiah revealed that simulations show air traffic in the region could surge by over 40 per cent within a year of implementing the proposed changes, potentially generating over $500 million in additional revenue.

“Reducing charges will not reduce revenue; rather, it will increase it by stimulating demand,” he said.

He pointed out that the top-performing airports and airlines in Africa – mostly from North, East, and Southern Africa – operated under zero-tax regimes on air transport services.

In contrast, ECOWAS airports lag behind, with only Lagos and Accra featuring in the top 10 busiest intra-African routes.

Implementation, however, rests with individual member states.

“ECOWAS will lead coordination, but each government must engage its finance ministries and parliaments to remove the identified taxes and reduce charges,” Appiah emphasised.

The strategy also includes a push for better collaboration among airlines through code-sharing and joint ventures. This would allow passengers to travel across the region using multiple carriers under a single ticket, reducing operational costs and boosting efficiency.

“For instance, Air Peace could partner with ASKY or Air Côte d’Ivoire to serve regional routes more cost-effectively,” said Appiah. “This is standard practice in global aviation and can help reduce fares significantly,” he added.

He further stressed the importance of private sector leadership in the air transport industry. Appiah stated, “Government-run airlines often suffer from inefficiency and bureaucracy. The best results come when the public sector creates an enabling environment, and the private sector handles operations.”

Citing successful models, like Ethiopian Airlines, Appiah said even state-owned carriers must operate independently of government bureaucracy to thrive.

“What we need is a performance-driven approach, whether through national, regional, or continental airlines,” he stated.

With all member states signed onto the ICAO conventions, ECOWAS believes the time is ripe to align regional air transport policies with global best practices, unlocking the full potential of West African skies for business, tourism, and integration.

Gonçalves, in his keynote address, said, “This external session is crucial to our mission. It brings justice closer to the grassroots, enhances public understanding of legal processes, and strengthens ties between the Court and national judiciaries.”

Authorised under Article 26 of the ECOWAS Court’s Protocol, external sessions allow the court to sit outside its Abuja headquarters.

This week, the court will hear over 35 cases involving 12 ECOWAS member states, spanning issues, such as human rights violations, administrative disputes, and regional governance.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu welcomed the court, commending its role in making justice accessible.

“The ECOWAS Court’s external sessions do more than adjudicate – they educate. They show that everyone has rights that can be defended transparently and fairly,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairperson of the ECOWAS Judicial Council, Hon. Justice Kudirat M.O. Kekere-Ekun, called the session a testament to the court’s commitment to accessibility, transparency, and regional solidarity.

Kekere-Ekun outlined the court’s four main goals: expanding access to justice, promoting judicial cooperation, raising public awareness, and reinforcing institutional trust.

She stressed the importance of enforcing the court’s judgements, saying, “The credibility of any judicial system lies not just in the quality of its rulings, but in their faithful enforcement. Without enforcement, our treaties are mere words, and our protocols idle promises.”

Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, emphasised the need for continued collaboration between national and regional courts.

“As a pacesetter judiciary, we will continue to support efforts to find effective and workable enforcement solutions,” Alogba said.

As proceedings begin, legal professionals and observers are expected to benefit from the open sessions, which aim to deepen public engagement with regional law and human rights.

The session continues throughout the week.