The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament has voiced strong concerns over the prohibitive cost of air travel within the West African sub-region, warning that it is a significant impediment to free movement and the broader goals of regional integration.
Speaking at the opening of a parliamentary committee meeting in Lomé, Togo, Hadja Mémounatou Ibrahima stressed that efficient and affordable air transport is crucial for economic development and bringing the nations of West Africa closer together.
“There can be no free movement of people without effective and affordable transport facilitation,” she stated, highlighting the importance of air links in promoting trade, tourism, and cultural exchange within the 15-member economic bloc.
Ms. Ibrahima attributed the high cost of airfares to a combination of factors, including “excessive taxation and high airport fees” levied across the region. She explained that airports contribute to national budgets through various charges, which ultimately inflate ticket prices.
Other contributing factors identified by the Speaker include a “fragmented aviation market,” where national airlines often operate independently, and a “lack of modern infrastructure” to support air transport needs. She also pointed to the “weak implementation of agreements liberalizing African airspace,” such as the Yamoussoukro Declaration, which aims to open up the skies across the continent.
Ms. Ibrahima warned that the high cost of air travel could undermine the ECOWAS Vision 2050, a long-term development plan for the region, particularly its goals around “Economic Integration and Interconnectivity.”
She urged the ECOWAS Parliament to develop robust recommendations for member states and relevant institutions to create a policy framework that would make regional air transport more accessible and affordable.
The meeting in Lomé brought together regional stakeholders and aviation experts to discuss potential strategies for reducing airline ticket costs. Ms. Ibrahima expressed optimism that the discussions would lead to “concrete proposals” to address this “major challenge” and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The high cost of intra-African air travel has long been a concern, with many citing it as a barrier to trade, tourism, and people-to-people connections across the continent. The ECOWAS Parliament’s focus on this issue underscores the urgency of finding solutions to improve connectivity within West Africa.
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