ECOWAS Member States Asked to Eliminate Taxes on Air Travel to Develop Aviation Industry

By: Michael Mike

Member states of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have been asked to adopt a new regional strategy of elimination of all taxes on air travel in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

The advice was given by a committee of aviation experts at the Sixth Legislature Delocalised Meeting of the Joint Committee on Infrastructure, Energy and Mines, Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources of ECOWAS Parliament held in Lomé, Togo.

It also proposes a 25% reduction in airport passenger service and security charges, effective from January 1, 2026, following consultations with airport and civil aviation authorities.

The committee emphasized that savings from these measures must be reflected in ticket pricing structures, urging airlines to pass on the benefits to consumers. Airports, meanwhile, are encouraged to adopt business-friendly practices to improve efficiency, cut costs, and grow non-aeronautical revenue streams.

An oversight committee is expected to be established by June 2025 to monitor implementation, while the full proposal awaits formal endorsement by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in the coming months.
According to the report submitted for review by the consultant, the regional organs must ensure that airports embrace business practices that will enable them to cover the 25% reduction.

Director for Transport at the ECOWAS Commission, Chris Appiah, while speaking with journalists, highlighted the transformative potential of the policy. He noted that canceling certain taxes and reducing charges by 25% could stimulate air travel demand in the sub-region by up to 40%.

He said: “We’ve conducted comprehensive studies and found that ECOWAS airports charge significantly more than their counterparts elsewhere in Africa—up to 103% more in passenger service charges and 53% more in security charges.”

He explained that the policy aims to remove taxes that are non-compliant with ICAO standards, such as security and tourism levies, and ensure transparent pricing structures. “You don’t tax air transport to promote tourism—it defeats the purpose,” he added.

The origins of the policy date back to a 2014 summit of ECOWAS Heads of State in Abuja, where leaders recognized the economic implications of exorbitant airfares and tasked the Commission with developing a solution. Working with global and regional partners, including IATA, AFRAA, AFCAC, and the African Union. ECOWAS crafted a harmonized strategy to align with international best practices.

Appiah revealed that simulations show air traffic in the region could surge by over 40% within a year of implementing the proposed changes, potentially generating over $500 million in additional revenue. “Reducing charges will not reduce revenue; rather, it will increase it by stimulating demand,” he said.

He pointed out that the top-performing airports and airlines in Africa—mostly from North, East, and Southern Africa—operate under zero-tax regimes on air transport services. In contrast, ECOWAS airports lag behind, with only Lagos and Accra featuring in the top 10 busiest intra-African routes.

Implementation, however, rests with individual member states. “ECOWAS will lead coordination, but each government must engage its finance ministries and parliaments to remove the identified taxes and reduce charges,” Appiah emphasized.

The strategy also includes a push for better collaboration among airlines through code-sharing and joint ventures. This would allow passengers to travel across the region using multiple carriers under a single ticket, reducing operational costs and boosting efficiency.

“For instance, Air Peace could partner with ASKY or Air Côte d’Ivoire to serve regional routes more cost-effectively,” said Appiah. “This is standard practice in global aviation and can help reduce fares significantly.”

He further stressed the importance of private sector leadership in the air transport industry. “Government-run airlines often suffer from inefficiency and bureaucracy. The best results come when the public sector creates an enabling environment, and the private sector handles operations.”

Citing successful models like Ethiopian Airlines, Appiah said even state-owned carriers must operate independently of government bureaucracy to thrive. “What we need is a performance-driven approach, whether through national, regional, or continental airlines,” he concluded.

With all member states signed onto the ICAO conventions, ECOWAS believes the time is ripe to align regional air transport policies with global best practices, unlocking the full potential of West African skies for business, tourism, and integration.

ECOWAS Member States Asked to Eliminate Taxes on Air Travel to Develop Aviation Industry

President Tinubu Demands Stiff Enforcement Of Child Protection Laws

• Launches national action plan on violence against children
• Hints at creation of child protection and development agency

By: Our Reporter

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has launched the National Action Plan on Ending Violence Against Children in Nigeria, with a call for stiff enforcement of the Child Rights Act and other child protection laws that guarantee the safety, dignity, and future of Nigerian children.

He outlined practical steps being taken by his administration to achieve this, including the establishment of a dedicated Child Protection and Development Agency, launch of the Universal Child Grant to reduce household poverty and children’s vulnerability; creation of a National Child Protection Database and a Child Well-being Index, to track the government’s progress and uphold accountability.

The President stated this on Thursday during the first regional meeting of the Africa Pathfinder Countries of the Global Alliance on Ending Violence Against Children at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

President Tinubu who was represented at the event by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, declared his administration’s commitment to “establishing a dedicated Child Protection and Development Agency to ensure coherent coordination of all issues relating to the Nigerian child.”

The president noted that while each day comes with a reminder of the dreams of Nigerian children, the conditions into which they are born, and whether these conditions protect or betray them, are also critical issues to ponder.

He said, “Our legal frameworks reflect our conviction. From the Child Rights Act to the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, Nigeria has laid down the statutory foundation for the protection of children. But legislation alone does not shield the vulnerable—it is the will behind those laws, and the systems that enforce them, that make the difference.

“That is why our national strategy also embraces prevention and early intervention. We are strengthening families and communities through programmes that promote positive parenting, challenge harmful social norms, and provide targeted support to vulnerable households.”

President Tinubu assured that relevant government institutions, including the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, are armed with the required training and resources to spearhead the protection of the Nigerian child across all levels of government, even as he maintained that it is a crusade for which sincerity and honesty are required.

“But we must be honest with ourselves. We cannot protect the child by merely reciting the anthems of their struggles or romanticising their vulnerability.

“The real hope lies in action—concrete, deliberate action. Our commitment must run deep, reaching into the very architecture of our education and health systems. This is the soul of our human capital development strategy,” he stated.

To ensure stiff enforcement of child protection laws in Nigeria, President Tinubu said his administration is “strengthening existing institutions and laws, and launching national campaigns to promote awareness and drive behavioural change.”

The President underlined the importance of the first regional meeting of Africa’s Pathfinder Countries under the Global Alliance on Ending Violence Against Children, pointing out that “it breathes new life into the bold declarations made at the First Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children held in Bogotá.”

Earlier, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence Against Children, Dr Najat Maalla M’jid, urged African leaders to move beyond commitments and implement concrete actions to protect children from violence and exploitation.

Dr M’jid also charged delegates to the meeting and other participants to focus on peer learning, effective strategy sharing, and collective actions in addressing common obstacles to ensure child protection efforts are sustainable in Africa.

On her part, Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Hon Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, highlighted the country’s commitment and the progress made since the Ministerial Conference in Bogotá, Colombia, in November 2024, noting that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu is strengthening legal frameworks, scaling up the Safe Schools Programme, expanding parenting interventions, and increasing budgetary allocations to child protection systems.

“Through our renewed national child policy framework now under review, and our adopted National Strategy and Costed Action Plan to End Child Marriage in Nigeria, we are laying the foundation for more accountable, inclusive, and data-driven action,” she said.

In separate remarks, the heads of delegation to the regional meeting from Zimbabwe, Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso, stated the recommitment of their various countries to the global alliance to ending violence against children as declared in Bogota in November 2024.

They presented progress reports from their respective countries, commended the leadership provided by Nigeria and urged all stakeholders to be intentional about ending violence against children and not to pay lip-service to the programmes and policies designed to actualise the objectives.

Also present at the meeting were the wife of the Deputy Senate President, Hajiya Laila Jibrin Barau; Minister of Women, Family and Children from Cote d’Ivoire, Hon Nasseneba Toure; Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare from Zimbabwe, Edgar Moyo; Minister of Gender and Children Affairs from Sierra Leone, Hon Isata; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Nigeria, Dr Maryam Keshinro, and representatives of development partners and heads of agencies, among others.

President Tinubu Demands Stiff Enforcement Of Child Protection Laws

ECOWAS Pushes Stronger for Actualisation of Free Movement within the Sub region

By: Michael Mike

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission is presently pushing seriously for the actualisation of the region’s free movement as it begins the tour of major border points within the sub region.

The tour commenced with the visit of the President of the Commission, Dr. Omar Touray and a strong team from the regional bloc to one of the busiest borders in the area, Seme Border (Nigeria/Benin Border)
on Wednesday.

During the visit, Touray who took time out to speak to various stakeholders as he made the trip to the border from the Lagos before having a meeting with officials at the border, criticised the poor state of border infrastructure, urging swift reforms to protect the region’s free movement objectives.

After the meeting with Nigerian and Beninese officials at the border, Touray said “this is one of the busiest and most strategic border posts in West Africa,” and we cannot watch to see it not performing optimally.

He lamented that at the border, “we are faced with expensive facilities; scanners, lighting systems, and bridges that are simply not working. That is unacceptable.”

He said he was alarmed to find that core ECOWAS infrastructure was neglected despite heavy investment.

He cried that: “We cannot justify millions spent on equipment that lies idle. Our citizens expect results—not excuses.”

He also stressed that while the regional body is responsible for initiating infrastructure, the onus of maintenance lies with individual member states.

The commission’s president also criticised the proliferation of checkpoints within member countries, arguing that it contradicts the spirit of free movement enshrined in ECOWAS protocols.

He asked that: “Why do we have multiple customs and immigration posts for the same corridor?

“It frustrates travelers, delays trade, and creates opportunities for corruption.”

While calling for transparency, he urged officials to crack down on unofficial payments.

He however correct the notion that within ECOWAS states citizens of the Community should be unquestioned, stating that free movement does not mean movement without relevant documents especially identification card and passport.

Despite the setbacks, Touray said he was encouraged by the joint commitment from Nigeria and Benin to improve cooperation.

He said: “This border post has potential. But potential alone is not enough. We must act—and act fast.”

He pledged that ECOWAS would deliver a full report with recommendations to improve operations, address infrastructure failures, and remove obstacles to seamless cross-border movement.

The Nigerian Customs Controller of the Lagos-Seme Border, Ben Oramalugo, provided a stark assessment of the situation. “We have scanners installed, but they are not working.

“Since I reported here on February 12, they have remained non-functional. These scanners can detect things human eyes cannot.

“When you inspect cargo manually, you might miss drugs or dangerous goods hidden deep inside. We need your help to get these scanners working again,” Oramalugo explained.

He added, “We do not have electricity at all in Seme. We depend entirely on Benin. And when their power goes out, we’re left in total darkness. This is Nigeria’s number one border, connecting the entire Francophone region, yet we are not connected to the national grid.”

The customs controller also raised concern about economic policy and the impact of double taxation.

“Goods coming from Benin that should be in transit are taxed there and then taxed again in Nigeria. This discourages trade. Importers are avoiding this corridor. We need both countries to follow internationally recognized transit rules,” the customer officer stated.

Oramalugo also called on ECOWAS to reduce the number of checkpoints on the international corridor.

“From here to Badagry, I have ensured there are only three customs checkpoints. But there are still too many from other agencies. I appeal to you—let us enforce a maximum of three checkpoints total. This road tells the story of Nigeria. What people see here reflects on all of us,” the customs officer stated.

The Permanent Representative of Nigeria to ECOWAS Ambassador Musa Nuhu, described the Seme border as critical to the ECOWAS free movement agenda. “This is the busiest border in West Africa, in terms of passage of goods, people, and services,” he stated. “And if free movement is working in West Africa, it is in this border that we will be able to find out.”

Nuhu noted that the challenges raised by local officials—including infrastructure decay, overlapping security checks, and operational bottlenecks—highlighted the gap between policy and implementation. “It’s good that they mentioned these issues for you to really understand practically what is happening along this very important border.”

Nuhu also revealed that the Federal Government had taken steps to independently assess and reform the corridor. “Not quite long ago, we carried out the same exercise along the border without even the officials here knowing, for us to really take note of what is going on.

“President Bola Tinubu has just approved the setting up of the Presidential Task Force to dismantle multiple checkpoints in the whole country. We are starting with the Seme-Badagry corridor. That committee has been set up under the authority of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and we will soon start working to address this issue,” he added.

Immigration officers stationed along the Seme border have called for intensified public awareness campaigns on the rights and limitations of the ECOWAS free movement protocol, citing widespread misunderstanding among travelers and transporters.

ECOWAS Pushes Stronger for Actualisation of Free Movement within the Sub region