ECOWAS Confronts Ghana Over New Airport Taxes, Warns Of Regional Aviation Damage

A sharp dispute has broken out between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Ghana after the regional bloc accused Accra of violating a binding agreement to reduce the cost of air travel across West Africa.

In a strongly worded letter to Ghana’s government, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray warned that two new aviation charges introduced by Ghana directly undermine regional efforts to make flying more affordable and risk diverting air traffic away from the region entirely.

The core of the dispute lies in Ghana’s recent imposition of an $18 security charge on return international tickets, effective February 1, 2026. This was followed by a $100 Airport Infrastructure Development Levy on return international travel, imposed by the Ghana Airports Company Limited from April 1, 2026. ECOWAS says these measures run counter to a Supplementary Act adopted in December 2024, under which all member states agreed to abolish numerous air transport-related taxes—including ticket taxes, tourism levies, solidarity taxes, and overseas travel charges—effective January 2026.

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The regional bloc argued that Ghana’s approach is both economically self-defeating and contrary to international standards. It highlighted that West Africa remains one of the most expensive places in the world to fly, with high taxes often cited as a primary reason for suppressed passenger demand even as the region’s population grows. The Commission further warned that maintaining such high charges could permanently shift air traffic to rival hubs outside the region, undercutting Ghana’s position as a key gateway to West Africa.

ECOWAS has given Ghana a direct order to reverse its policy, urging the government to “immediately suspend the newly imposed charges” and pursue alternative funding models for airport projects, such as public-private partnerships. The bloc plans to present a formal progress report on the implementation of its aviation reforms at upcoming ministerial and summit meetings, where Ghana’s compliance is expected to be a central point of discussion.

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