ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalization, Mr. Sédiko Douka says air transport fare within the West African.region remains the highest in the world.
According to him, recent studies conducted by renowned organizations also reveals that despite the hike in airfare, air transportation within West Africa is still less than 10%, which represents the lowest.
Mr. Sédiko Douka stated this in Lome on at the opening of the Sixth Legislature ECOWAS Parliament Delocalised meeting of the Joint Committee on Infrastructure, Energy and Mines, Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, with the theme : “Air transport as a means of integrating the peoples of West Africa: Strategy for reducing the cost of air ticket.”
He said the situation has become a barrier to the integration of the region and therefore charged the Commission to coordinate and harmonize the air transport policies, programs, and projects of Member States.
“The air tariff in West Africa remains excessively high compared to other countries in the world. In this case, it is less expensive to make the flight to another African country than to travel between two countries in ECOWAS. This situation is counterproductive for the future of the West African region and the collective airspace.
“That recent studies conducted by renowned organizations in 2024 have shown low growth in air transport in West Africa (less than 10%). This, at a time when other regions, for example, record 40.4% for North Africa, 21.4% for Southern Africa, and 20.5% for East Africa. Other comparisons made in terms of domestic flights, intra-African travel, major airlines, and airport size have also shown that West Africa lags far behind these same regions mentioned above.”
Mr. Douka said in accordance with Article 32 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, the statutory bodies have mandated the Commission to coordinate and harmonize the air transport policies, programs, and projects of Member States.
In 2017, the ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with Member States, conducted a study on a common policy on fees, taxes, and charges in air transport, in which the final report was submitted in 2018 in Accra.
The policy was reviewed through validation workshops held by experts and ministers responsible for air transport from member states in May 2021.
Subsequently, a task force was created to reflect on and submit recommendations on the following in.line with international Best practices in the air transport sector
(i) updating the status of fees, taxes, and charges, and
(ii) the total elimination or reduction of certain taxes and charges.
Furthermore, during the sixty-fifth (65th) ordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, held on July 7, 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria, the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government noted in the final communiqué the need to make air transport more accessible and affordable by reducing the cost of air travel to support the regional integration agenda.
In response to the directive, a meeting of Ministers responsible for Air Transport was convened on November 8, 2024, in Lomé, Togo. The meeting concluded with modalities for the gradual reduction of taxes, fees, and charges aimed at making air transport more affordable.
To this end, an Additional Act A/SA.2/12/24 6, relating to the common policy on fees, taxes and air transport charges in ECOWAS Member States and its implementation strategy, were adopted by the Ministers and submitted to the Conference of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on December 15, 2024, which endorsed them.
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalization, said the onus now lies on member states to implement the recommendations.
“Our primary concern is to comply with ICAO principles and recommendations on setting charges, which are: (i) non-discrimination between users
(ii) transparency, appropriate pricing for services provided, and
(iii) user consultation.
“The recommendations made by the Ministers to Member States for efficient regional air transport include, among others: Commit to eliminating all taxes in accordance with these ICAO principles and recommendations;”
“Reduce the passenger service charge and the security charge by 25%; reduce the cost of aviation fuel, etc.”
“All this, with the aim, I say, of making our region efficient in terms of air transport, with its 400 million inhabitants.”
“The task now lies in working towards the implementation of these community texts by ECOWAS member states, whose effective implementation start date has been set for January 1, 2026, a 15-month period to allow them to prepare, particularly from a budgetary perspective.”
He also charged the meeting to consider the issue of common rules for passenger compensation in the event of denied boarding, cancellation, or significant delays of a flight within the ECOWAS.
Edit: Idara Ukpayang
