By Emmanuella Opara| October 17th 2026
KEY POINTS
- The Federal Government has inaugurated the National Air Transport Economic Oversight Committee to coordinate efforts to address high aviation taxes, charges and fees.
- The committee will oversee Nigeria’s implementation of the ECOWAS regional aviation policy.
- The policy aims to make air travel more affordable, improve transparency and promote fair competition among airlines.
- The committee will work with aviation stakeholders, including domestic airline operators and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
MAIN STORY
The Federal Government has inaugurated a committee to coordinate the implementation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) policy on aviation taxes, charges and fees, as Nigeria seeks to address the high cost of air travel.
The National Air Transport Economic Oversight Committee (NATEOC) will coordinate national efforts to implement the regional policy, monitor compliance and identify gaps in Nigeria’s aviation regulatory framework.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Chris Najomo, disclosed this during the committee’s inauguration at the authority’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday. He was represented at the event by the Director of Air Transport Regulation, Olayinka Babaoye-Iriobe.
According to the NCAA, the committee will assess Nigeria’s compliance with the regional policy, recommend necessary adjustments and monitor progress towards meeting the country’s obligations.
Its responsibilities also include developing an implementation roadmap, reviewing relevant legislative and regulatory measures, ensuring the official publication of the policy in the national gazette and working with regional institutions.
The committee’s inauguration follows the adoption of ECOWAS Supplementary Act A/SA.2/12/24 by the Authority of Heads of State and Government at its 66th Ordinary Session in Abuja on December 15, 2024.
The supplementary act establishes a common regional framework for aviation taxes, charges and fees across ECOWAS member states. It is intended to reduce the cost of air travel, improve transparency in aviation services and encourage fair competition in the regional market.
The NCAA noted that the committee would be responsible for translating the agreement into coordinated national measures in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Document 9082.
Babaoye-Iriobe said effective implementation would require sustained engagement with stakeholders across the aviation sector, particularly domestic airlines and the IATA.
The Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary of the NCAA, Mary Tufano-Eche, also urged committee members to examine the legal and legislative provisions underpinning the supplementary act.
She said the relevant frameworks needed to be reviewed to ensure the regional policy could be incorporated into Nigeria’s aviation regulatory system without conflicting with existing laws.
THE ISSUES
High aviation taxes, charges and fees remain a concern for airlines and passengers in Nigeria. The cost of these charges contributes to the overall expense of operating flights and travelling by air.
The ECOWAS policy provides a regional framework for addressing these costs. However, its impact will depend on how effectively member states translate the agreement into national laws, regulations and administrative measures.
For Nigeria, the committee’s work will involve identifying gaps in existing regulations and coordinating the changes required to comply with the regional framework.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“The committee is expected to assess compliance, identify implementation gaps, recommend policy adjustments, and monitor progress towards fulfilling regional aviation policy obligations,” the NCAA said.
“The NCAA Further noted that the committee’s responsibility was ‘to translate the provisions of the Supplementary Act into practical, coordinated, and measurable national actions in strict conformity with ICAO Doc 9082.’”
WHAT’S NEXT
The committee is expected to develop an implementation roadmap, review existing aviation regulations and coordinate with relevant stakeholders to advance Nigeria’s compliance with the ECOWAS supplementary act.
Its work will also involve examining the legal requirements for incorporating the regional policy into the country’s aviation regulatory framework.
BOTTOM LINE
The Federal Government has established NATEOC to coordinate Nigeria’s implementation of the ECOWAS aviation policy, with the goal of addressing high aviation charges and supporting more affordable air travel. The policy’s effectiveness will depend on the measures adopted to implement its provisions nationally.
