On Thursday, 11 December 2025, the ECOWAS Commission has confirmed that beginning 1 January 2026, all member States will abolish taxes on air transport and cut passenger and security charges by 25%. The initiative is designed to reduce airfares in the short term while expanding passenger traffic and strengthening regional airlines over the medium term.
Member States were required to communicate their legal and regulatory adjustments by 30 November 2025, following a directive issued by Commission President Umar Alieu Turay earlier in November. The reform will be monitored through a Regional Economic Surveillance Mechanism for Air Transport.
ECOWAS has clarified that common levies including ticket taxes, tourism charges and solidarity fees will no longer apply across the bloc from 1 January 2026. According to Chris Appiah, Director of Transport at the Commission, the next focus will be encouraging airlines to reflect the tax relief in their pricing. Turay has urged governments not to introduce new aviation fees that could undermine a reform he considers pivotal to revitalizing regional integration.