ECOWAS lawmakers decry high flight costs, seek air transport reform in West Africa

Lawmakers from across West Africa have raised the alarm over the persistently high cost of air travel within the region, describing it as a major barrier to economic integration, trade expansion, and people-to-people connectivity.

Meeting in Lome under the auspices of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Joint Committee on Infrastructure, Energy and Mining, Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources, the legislators are calling for urgent reforms to bring down airfares and improve access to affordable air transport across member states.

Opening the session, Sako Momadu, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee, emphasised the need to find lasting solutions to what he described as one of the most pressing challenges undermining regional cooperation.

Citing the conclusions of the 65th ECOWAS Summit held in Abuja in July 2024, he highlighted that airfares within the bloc are among the highest on the continent. In some cases, it is more expensive to fly between two West African capitals than to travel to destinations outside Africa, a situation he described as counterproductive.

Despite ECOWAS’s progress, air transport remains a costly barrier to true regional integration. The high cost of airfare hinders travel, weakens business opportunities, limits tourism potential, and runs counter to the vision of a borderless West Africa”, Momadu said.

Momadu further expressed gratitude to the government and people of Togo for their warm hospitality and to President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé for the facilities and support provided to ensure the smooth conduct of the parliamentary proceedings.

He noted the importance of the host nation’s longstanding tradition of courtesy and solidarity.

The session, scheduled from May 5 to 10, is themed “Air Transport as a Means of Integrating West African Peoples: A Strategy for Reducing Airfare Costs.”

It aligns with the ECOWAS Parliament’s expanded mandate to engage constituents and influence regional policymaking through collaborative dialogue and legislative action.

Throughout the week-long session, committee members will explore practical strategies to address these challenges.

Deliberations will include expert briefings, panel discussions, and engagement with key stakeholders in the aviation sector. Topics on the agenda include regulatory reform, aviation infrastructure development, tax policy reviews, and improved airline operations.

Momadu stressed that cooperation among member states and regional institutions is critical.

“If we are to realize the full promise of integration, our people must be able to move affordably and efficiently across borders”, he said.