Fees and charges
The ECOWAS plan to cut air transport charges and taxes
Short answer
- Legal basis
- ECOWAS Supplementary Act on aviation charges, taxes and fees, December 2024 2
- Start date
- 1 January 2026 2
- Taxes
- All air transport taxes to be abolished 2
- Charges
- Passenger and security charges cut by 25 percent 2
- Oversight
- Regional Air Transport Economic Oversight Mechanism run by the ECOWAS Commission 2
- Status at Banjul
- No Gambian notice found. Minister said in January 2026 talks with ECOWAS were under way 6
What ECOWAS decided
On 12 November 2024 ECOWAS air transport ministers met in Lomé, Togo. They endorsed a regional plan to remove all aviation taxes and cut two main charges, the passenger charge and the security charge, by 25 percent. Work was to start no later than 1 January 2026 1.
The ministers sent their recommendations to the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and to the summit of Heads of State in December 2024. They gave member states one year to make budget and national preparations 1.
On 10 December 2025 ECOWAS said the Heads of State had adopted a Supplementary Act on aviation charges, taxes and fees at their December 2024 summit in Abuja. It said all member states will abolish air transport taxes and reduce passenger and security charges by 25 percent from 1 January 2026 2.
Why ECOWAS says fares are high
The ministers said in November 2024 that charges, taxes and fees make up nearly 50 percent of the total cost of an air ticket in West Africa 1. They said aviation taxes are not in line with ICAO recommendations 1.
The Point, crediting The Guardian of Nigeria, reported on 15 December 2025 that ECOWAS transport director Chris Appiah put taxes and charges at about 64 to 70 percent of the ticket price. He named a security tax as one of four main taxes in the region 4. The two figures come from different dates and speakers.
Dates and wording differ between sources
Sources describe the measure in slightly different ways. The ECOWAS releases are the primary text 1,2.
| Source | What it says | Date |
|---|---|---|
| ECOWAS ministers 1 | Cut passenger and security charges by 25 percent and remove all aviation taxes 1 | 12 November 2024 1 |
| ECOWAS Commission 2 | Act adopted at the December 2024 summit, in force from 1 January 2026 2 | 10 December 2025 2 |
| BusinessDay 3 | 68th ordinary session told states to fully apply the 25 percent cut. A resolution on the cut was first adopted in June 3 | 15 December 2025 3 |
| The Point, crediting The Guardian 4 | Aviation charges cut by 25 percent and air transport taxes removed 4 | 15 December 2025 4 |
Has it been applied in The Gambia?
This site found no Gambian law, GCAA notice or tariff that applies the ECOWAS cut at Banjul International Airport.
The GCAA schedule posted in January 2024 lists a £10 passenger service charge, a £1.50 security charge and a €20 airport development fee for each departing passenger 7. It carries no date and no reference to ECOWAS 7.
On 15 January 2026 Information Minister Ismaila Ceesay said ECOWAS talks on the cost of air travel could affect current arrangements. He said The Gambia and other member states were in talks with the bloc on the issue 6. He said the government was working to move the airport security fee into the ticket price 6.
UK travel advice updated on 7 July 2026 says a US$20 airport security fee is still payable at marked kiosks on arrival and on departure 8.
Progress across the region
On 29 January 2026 Ecofin Agency reported that member states had not fully written the decision into national rules. It said Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and Nigeria had yet to publish texts to apply it 5.
The same report said Nigeria raised similar fees by US$11.5 from 1 December 2025 and Ghana planned a US$9 rise in immigration data fees from 1 February 5. It did not mention The Gambia 5.
BusinessDay reported that the ECOWAS Commission was told to work with national finance and transport ministries on compliance 3.
What to check on your ticket
- Ask the airline or travel agent for the tax and charge lines on your fare. ECOWAS says the cut targets passenger and security charges 2.
- Keep the receipt for any fee paid in cash at Banjul. The US$20 security fee is paid at kiosks, not in the fare, according to UK advice 8.
- Read the ECOWAS release and the downloadable Act on the ECOWAS website 2.
Common questions
Did ECOWAS abolish airport taxes in January 2026?
ECOWAS says member states will abolish air transport taxes and cut passenger and security charges by 25 percent from 1 January 2026 2.
Is the ECOWAS cut in force at Banjul airport?
This site found no Gambian notice applying it. The minister said in January 2026 that talks with ECOWAS were under way 6.
Does the ECOWAS plan remove the US$20 security fee?
No source says so. UK advice of 7 July 2026 still lists the US$20 fee at kiosks 8.
Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@gambiaairportguide.com.
Sources
- ECOWAS: ECOWAS air transport ministers endorse regional strategy to remove taxes from air transport and reduce charges by 25 percent effective January 1, 2026 (12 November 2024)
- ECOWAS: ECOWAS adopts measures to reduce air transport taxes and charges and lower the cost of air travel in West Africa from 1st January 2026 (10 December 2025)
- BusinessDay, as reported by Oluwatosin Ogunjuyigbe: ECOWAS orders 25 percent cut in air transport charges from January 2026 (15 December 2025)
- The Point, credited to The Guardian: ECOWAS to slash air fare, eliminate taxes by January 2026 (15 December 2025)
- Ecofin Agency, as reported by Lydie Mobio, Ingrid Haffiny and Henoc Dossa: ECOWAS, why airfares remain high one month after tax cuts (29 January 2026)
- The Point, as reported by Jankey Ceesay: Info minister claims booming tourism amid airport security levy (headline paraphrased) (15 January 2026)
- Gambia Civil Aviation Authority: Airport charges, Banjul International Airport (undated schedule, file posted January 2024)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: The Gambia travel advice, entry requirements (updated 7 July 2026)
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