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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has issued a binding directive to the government of Sierra Leone to eliminate its Foreign Travel Tax and significantly lower airport utility charges, in a major regional push to slash the high cost of air travel.
The order is contained in the newly adopted Supplementary Act A/SA.2/12/24 Relating to the Common Policy on Aviation Charges, Taxes and Fees, signed by West African Heads of State, including President Julius Maada Bio, during the 66th Ordinary Session in Abuja on 15 December 2024.
Under the specific terms of the Act, Sierra Leone must abolish the Foreign Travel Tax within 12 months. According to the legislation’s Annex on tax removal, Sierra Leone is one of four countries—alongside Togo, Niger, and The Gambia—currently applying this levy.
The document identifies the tax as a charge ranging between $8.95 and $250 imposed on airline tickets sold locally to generate government revenue.
In addition to scrapping this tax, the regional body has ordered a 25% reduction on two critical aviation fees: the Passenger Service Charge and the Security Charge. These reductions are mandatory for all Member States and must also be implemented within a year of the Act’s entry into force.
The Authority of Heads of State expressed deep concern over the “high cost of air travel in the ECOWAS Region,” noting it is among the highest on the continent and negatively impacts tourism, trade, and the free movement of persons.
The Act criticizes the practice of using aviation taxes to fund non-aviation activities, stating that such levies are “counterproductive” and that the revenue raised is often outweighed by the economic losses caused by reduced demand for air travel.
To ensure these cuts result in cheaper tickets for citizens, the Act mandates the ECOWAS Commission to engage with West African airlines. The objective is to ensure airfares are reduced to a level that reflects the removal of the Foreign Travel Tax and the 25% reduction in airport charges.
President Bio and other regional leaders have directed Member States to take all necessary legislative steps to enforce these changes. The ECOWAS Commission will monitor compliance and report to the Council of Ministers every quarter.
