Prohibitive Airfare A Barrier To Regional Integration, Says ECOWAS Parliament Speaker
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
The soaring cost of air travel within West Africa has been identified as a significant hindrance to regional integration and free movement.
According to the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hadja Mémounatou Ibrahima,who was speaking at the Sixth Legislature Delocalised Meeting in Lomé, Togo, emphasised that affordable and effective air transport is essential for economic development, urging regional stakeholders to address the issue.
Ibrahima highlighted that high airfares, driven by excessive taxes, fragmented aviation markets, and outdated infrastructure, are preventing the free movement of people, a core objective of the ECOWAS Vision 2050.
She called for the development of a policy framework to reduce these costs and ensure that air transport serves as a catalyst for trade, tourism, and cultural exchange.
She urged collaboration between member states and institutions to forge solutions that will enhance connectivity and promote the realisation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
