West Africa’s regional bloc Ecowas is abolishing air transport taxes across the region from Jan. 1 in a move that promises cheaper flights and a vital economic boost.
West Africa has some of the highest air travel costs on the continent and the bloc hopes the decision will stimulate trade, tourism, and connectivity. The current taxes “suppress demand rather than support growth,” the Ecowas Commission’s transport director told journalists in Abuja last week. “If you want to buy goods from Lagos to Dakar, for instance, a trader will not pay less than about 3,000 dollars in tickets, and a lot of that is taxes.” Business Insider Africa described the move as one of the bloc’s most significant transport reforms in recent years.