Togo: ECOWAS Plans to Lower Airfares Starting January 2026

Transport

Tuesday, 19 November 2024 15:29

Togo: ECOWAS Plans to Lower Airfares Starting January 2026

(Togo First) - Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) transport ministers met in Lomé from November 5 to 8 and adopted a plan to reduce airfares in the region. This plan will be presented to ECOWAS Heads of State in December for approval and is expected to take effect in January 2026.

The roadmap includes actions such as eliminating taxes that do not comply with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and reducing passenger and security charges by 25%. The ministers noted that taxes and fees currently account for nearly 50% of the total cost of air tickets in West Africa; hence burdening travelers and affecting the competitiveness of local airlines. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), airport taxes and charges in West Africa can exceed $100 per passenger, compared to a global average of $40 in 2023.

These reforms aim to ease travel costs and boost the air transport sector while maintaining safety protocols aligned with international standards. A transition phase in 2025 will allow member states to make necessary legislative and budgetary changes.

ECOWAS also plans to engage international partners for support and will establish a Regional Oversight Committee to ensure commitments are met. The initiative aligns with continental projects like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), which aim to enhance connectivity across Africa.

Esaïe Edoh

REFORMS OVERVIEW

STARTING A BUSINESS (more info)

At the fifteenth position, worldwide, and first in Africa, under the Starting a Business index of the 2020 Doing Business ranking, Togo sustains its reformative dynamics with more reforms….

ENFORCING CONTRACTS (more info)

Compared to some years ago when it was one of the lowest rankers under the Doing Business’ Enforcing Contracts indicator, Togo, leveraging many efforts to improve its business climate, was able to jump significantly on the index in the recent years... .

CONTRACT EXECUTION (more info)

Creation of special chambers of commerce for small debts • Creation of chambers of commerce at the Court of Appeal • Civil and commercial cases now handled by distinct clerks • Establishment of commercial courts in Lomé and Kara • Lawyers and bailiffs now have access to the FORSETI COMMERCIAL platform • A maximum period of 100 days was fixed to settle a commercial dispute .

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS (more info)

In comparison to previous years,Togo has significantly improved its ranking under the“Trading across borders” indicator by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

In comparison to previous years, Togo has significantly improved its ranking on the “Trading across borders” index by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitalization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (more info)

After moving from the 133rd to 127th place under the 2020 Doing Business’ construction permit index, Togo intends to reiterate this feat in the coming edition of the global ranking. To this end, it has introduced this year multiple reforms.

GETTING ELECTRICITY (more info)

Over the past two years, Togo’s ranking under the Doing Business’ Getting electricity and water indicator has increased consistently. Owing this performance to multiple reforms aimed at making it easier for businesses to access power and water, Lomé plans to introduce even more reforms this year to keep up its improvements.

REGISTERING A PROPERTY (more info)

Out of all the 'Doing Business’ indicators, Property Registration is where Togo has improved the most since 2018. Indeed, after spending years in the lowest part of this ranking, the country now seeks to beat Rwanda which is the best performer on this index in Africa. To do so, Lomé has been introducing many reforms, with the latest batch implemented this year.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT (more info)

From professionalization to digitization, through legislative regulations, Togo’s public procurement framework is constantly being modernized. Several reforms have been implemented to improve the sector much to the benefit of the private sector, which is the focus of the National Development Plan.

PAYING TAXES AND DUTIES (more info)

To improve its business environment, Togo introduced some important reforms related to the payment of tax and duties. From the replacement of some taxes to the cancellation of others through exemptions, the country has only one objective: offer the most attractive tax framework to investors and economic operators. To achieve this, the authorities relied on digitization.