Keypoints:
- Intra-ECOWAS flights more costly than abroad
- Air travel usage in West Africa under 10%
- ECOWAS seeks harmonised aviation policy
THE Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has warned that excessively high airfares within the region are stalling efforts to deepen economic and social integration across member states.
Delivering remarks during the opening of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Sixth Legislature Delocalised Meeting in Lomé, Togo, on Tuesday, ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Sédiko Douka, said that air travel within West Africa is disproportionately expensive compared to similar distances elsewhere on the continent.
‘Cheaper to fly out than stay within’
Douka pointed out that passengers often find it more affordable to fly to destinations outside West Africa than to neighbouring countries within the ECOWAS bloc.
‘The air tariff in West Africa remains excessively high compared to other parts of the world,’ he said. ‘In some cases, it is less expensive to fly to another African country outside ECOWAS than to travel between two member states. This is counterproductive for the future of regional integration and the collective airspace.’
Regional air travel lowest in Africa
According to Douka, air transport usage within West Africa remains under 10 percent—by far the lowest on the continent. He cited recent 2024 data from global aviation bodies showing that North Africa records 40.4 percent, Southern Africa 21.4 percent, and East Africa 20.5 percent.
The disparity, he said, reflects not only the unaffordability of flights but also a systemic failure to coordinate aviation development across the subregion.
Push for harmonised aviation strategy
Highlighting Article 32 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, Douka urged member states to fulfil their commitment to harmonise aviation policies, programmes, and projects.
‘The Commission is mandated to coordinate all initiatives aimed at improving regional air transport. Yet we continue to lag behind other African regions in terms of connectivity, domestic routes, airline scale, and airport infrastructure,’ he stated.
He warned that without an aligned and competitive air travel framework, West Africa risks further economic fragmentation.
Common passenger rights proposed
The commissioner also called on the joint committee—comprising members of Parliament overseeing infrastructure, energy, mines, agriculture, environment, and natural resources—to consider region-wide rules protecting air passengers.
These would include compensation mechanisms for denied boarding, cancellations, or significant delays, echoing best practices in other regions.
‘We need uniform standards to ensure air travellers across West Africa receive fair treatment and can rely on a transparent system of redress,’ Douka added.
The parliamentary meeting in Lomé is expected to produce recommendations that could steer the ECOWAS Commission toward actionable reforms to ease intra-regional air travel and foster deeper economic integration.
