The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission will convene the inaugural meeting of the ECOWAS Air Transport Economic Oversight Committee (ECATEOC) from 2 to 3 July 2026 in Lomé, Togolese Republic.
This landmark meeting constitutes a decisive step towards operationalizing the Community’s regional economic oversight framework for civil aviation and accelerating the implementation of the regional policy on the reduction of taxes, charges and fees, with a view to fostering a more affordable, efficient, competitive and integrated air transport market in West Africa.
The meeting marks a significant milestone in the implementation of Supplementary Act A/SA.2/12/24 on the Common Policy on Charges, Taxes and Fees in Civil Aviation within ECOWAS Member States, adopted by the Authority of Heads of State and Government at its Sixty-Sixth Ordinary Session held in Abuja, Nigeria, on 15 December 2024.
As West Africa intensifies efforts towards deeper regional integration, economic transformation and enhanced connectivity, efficient and affordable air transport has emerged as a strategic enabler for trade facilitation, investment promotion, tourism development, labour mobility and the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Establishment—core pillars underpinning the ECOWAS Vision 2050.
Despite considerable progress in the liberalization of air transport services across the African continent, intra-regional air travel within West Africa remains among the most expensive in the world.
This situation continues to undermine network connectivity, constrain market expansion, limit passenger demand and adversely affect the competitiveness and sustainability of the regional aviation industry.
Comprehensive studies undertaken by the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) have identified excessive taxes and charges, high fuel prices, elevated maintenance and insurance costs, as well as customs duties on aeronautical equipment and spare parts, as major structural drivers of high air transport costs in the region.
Evidence-based simulations conducted jointly with these institutions indicate that the removal of selected taxes and the reduction of passenger and security charges by twenty-five per cent could generate substantial traffic stimulation, resulting in an estimated annual increase of more than 1.2 million passengers across domestic, regional and international markets.
Such reforms are expected to enhance market accessibility, stimulate economic activity, generate employment opportunities and strengthen the competitiveness of West Africa’s air transport sector.
With the Supplementary Act entering into force on 1st January 2026, the ECOWAS Commission has undertaken extensive sensitization, dissemination and stakeholder engagement missions across Member States aimed at supporting compliance, strengthening oversight and facilitating harmonized implementation of the new regional framework.
Within this context, the inaugural meeting of ECATEOC will formally operationalize the Community’s economic oversight mechanism and establish the governance architecture necessary to ensure effective, coordinated and sustainable implementation of the regional policy.
The meeting will focus on the key priorities including assessing implementation progress by Member States; reviewing the performance of the regional air transport market; validating the Committee’s Rules of Procedure; updating the implementation strategy and roadmap for the Supplementary Act; and establishing a comprehensive monitoring, reporting and evaluation framework to guide implementation.
The Regional Air Transport Oversight Committee is made up of Directors-General of National Civil Aviation Authorities, Directors of Air Transport, representatives of ECOWAS institutions, and strategic partners including the African Union Commission (AUC), ICAO, IATA, the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) and AFRAA, alongside technical experts and other key industry stakeholders.
As the principal regional mechanism established under the Supplementary Act, ECATEOC will provide strategic oversight for implementation, promote regulatory convergence and policy harmonization in accordance with ICAO principles and international best practices, facilitate structured dialogue among regulators and industry stakeholders, and support evidence-based policymaking through systematic data collection, analysis, performance benchmarking and compliance monitoring.
Expected outcomes of the meeting include ensuring uniform compliance with the policy on removing taxes and reducing charges, the formal operationalization of ECATEOC, adoption of an implementation roadmap and action plan, establishment of a regional monitoring and reporting mechanism, identification of implementation priorities and strengthened collaboration among policymakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders.
The operationalization of ECATEOC further underscores ECOWAS’ unwavering commitment to the realization of the African Union Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), the full implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision and the establishment of a seamless, affordable, efficient, resilient, and citizen-centred regional air transport system capable of unlocking West Africa’s vast socio-economic potential.
By strengthening economic governance in civil aviation and reducing the cost of air transport, ECOWAS seeks to catalyse regional trade, stimulate tourism, promote private sector development, enhance connectivity, and reinforce its overarching objective of building a fully integrated, prosperous and peaceful West Africa.
