ECOWAS to scrap regional air taxes, paving way for cheaper flights from 2026
The Economic Community of West African States has adopted a new policy to scrap air transport taxes among member states and lower miscellaneous aviation charges, a move expected to drastically reduce regional flight costs next year.
Effective January 2026, air travel costs within West African nations such as Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo will be significantly reduced.
“From 1 January 2026, all ECOWAS member states will abolish air transport taxes and reduce passenger and security charges by 25 per cent, in line with a Supplementary Act on Aviation Charges, Taxes, and Fees,” ECOWAS said in a statement.
The bloc on Wednesday announced that the policy was adopted in December 2024 but finalised the modalities for its implementation for January 2026, with the hope of attracting more tourists and easing trade between member states.
“Implementation of the reform will be monitored by the ECOWAS Commission through a Regional Air Transport Economic Oversight Mechanism, with the expected outcome of lower airfares, increased passenger traffic, stronger regional airlines, and deeper regional integration,” said the statement.
A one-way ticket from Abuja, Nigeria, to Accra costs about N550,000, checks by the Peoples Gazette on Africa World Airlines on Wednesday show. It is unclear how much ECOWAS policy will tamp down prices.
