The Economic Community of West African States has raised alarm over the soaring cost of air travel within the region, describing it as the most expensive in the world and a major hindrance to regional integration.

Speaking at the opening of a delocalised meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Joint Committee in Lomé on Tuesday, ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Mr. Sédiko Douka, lamented that flying between West African countries is often costlier than traveling to destinations outside the continent.

“The air tariff in West Africa remains excessively high compared to other regions,” Douka said. “It is sometimes cheaper to fly to another continent than to move between two ECOWAS countries. This is counterproductive to the development of our regional airspace.”

He revealed that air transport usage within West Africa remains below 10 percent—marking the lowest rate on the continent. In comparison, North Africa recorded a 40.4 percent growth in air travel in 2024, while Southern and East Africa posted growth rates of 21.4 percent and 20.5 percent respectively.

Douka expressed concern that the region is falling behind in key aviation metrics such as airline connectivity, the availability of domestic flights, airport infrastructure, and major airline operations.

Quoting Article 32 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, he noted that the regional body has the mandate to coordinate air transport policies among Member States and called for the enforcement of common rules to safeguard passenger rights in cases of denied boarding, cancellations, or lengthy delays.

The commissioner urged the joint committee to act swiftly in addressing the issue, stressing the need for harmonised aviation strategies that ensure affordable and accessible air travel across West Africa.

“We must break down these barriers and make regional travel a reality for our citizens,” he said.