West African legislators gathered in Lome to discuss the progress of reforms launched by the sector ministers, aimed at reducing the costs of air travel, harmonizing aviation taxes, and promoting greater regional integration through improved air connections.
Following the high-level ministerial meeting held in Lome in November 2024, ECOWAS Parliament began a five-day session in Togo's capital on Tuesday, May 6th. The main purpose of the session is to provide parliamentary oversight and support for strategic decisions designed to make air travel more affordable across West Africa.
Under the theme of “Air Transport as a Lever for the Integration of the People of West Africa: Strategies for Airfare Reduction,” this session brings together Congressional Committees on Infrastructure, Energy, Mining/Agriculture, Agriculture and Natural Resources. Their goal is to relay, refine and strengthen guidelines previously established by Ministers of the ECOWAS sector. Parliamentary lawmakers are specifically considering recommendations stemming from expert consultations and ministerial discussions. This underscores the undue burden of costs, taxes and charges that currently account for almost 50% of the price of tickets in the region. The comprehensive objective is to harmonize these claims at the community level through complementary local laws that are consistent with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
“The prices of airline tickets undermine our ambitions for regional integration,” MP Ayao Zureke warned, celebrating Togo's President Fare Gunassinbe's commitment. This sentiment was echoed by Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, president of the Community Congress, who emphasized the importance of holding sessions in Lome. She noted that Togo's head of state, who was recently appointed president of the council as part of the establishment of the Fifth Republic, has been designated as the champion of the single African Air Transport Market. These collaborative efforts responded directly to directives issued at the ECOWAS Heads of State Conference during the July 2024 meeting, calling for concrete actions to improve accessibility of air travel. Measures already in place include reducing passenger and security fees by 25%, eliminating taxes that are not compliant with ICAO regulations, and establishing local aviation safety regulations.
ECOWAS Infrastructure Commissioner Sediko Douka highlighted the urgent need to align tax policies with international standards, noting that current high costs will hinder intra-regional trade and limit the mobility of citizens within the bloc.
Additionally, plans are underway to establish a regional maintenance centre to provide support for the Regional Monitoring Board, aircraft leasing companies and airlines and to increase the overall competitiveness of the sector. Member States have a deadline of January 1, 2026 to implement these important reforms. This parliamentary work is expected to solidify the technical and political decisions already made and to develop further recommendations to be presented at the next head of state. Currently, strong regional momentum is being built to transform air transport into a true catalyst for growth and deeper integration across West Africa.
AC/SF/FSS/ABJ/APA
