Togo Makes Deep Cuts to Airline Market Entry Fees to Attract New Carriers
Saturday, 04 July 2026 04:11 
(Togo First) - Togo has significantly reduced the cost for airlines to enter its market, cutting the fees required to obtain operating documents from CFA200 million to CFA3.5 million, as the country seeks to attract more carriers and strengthen competition.
The announcement was made by National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) Director General Lt. Col. Idrissou Ahabou Abdou on the sidelines of the first meeting of the ECOWAS Air Transport Economic Oversight Committee (ECATEOC), held in Lomé on July 2 and 3.
"Following instructions from the African Union's Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) champion, President of the Council Faure Gnassingbé, we will implement a new directive. Airlines can now establish operations in Togo with CFA3.5 million instead of CFA200 million," Abdou told reporters.
Using competition to lower airfares
According to the ANAC chief, lowering barriers to entry should encourage more airlines to operate in Togo, increasing competition and ultimately reducing ticket prices. "When you have more airlines, you create competition, and competition naturally leads to lower costs," he said.
The policy also supports Togo's ambition to establish Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport in Lomé as a regional aviation hub. Speaking during the ECATEOC meeting, Transport Minister Komlan Kadjé stressed that no airport can succeed in isolation. "The prosperity of each of our airports depends on the efficiency of the entire regional network," he said, adding that "no hub thrives on its own."
By making it easier for airlines to enter the market, the government hopes to increase the number of carriers serving Lomé and improve regional connectivity.
Part of a broader regional reform
The measure also aligns with broader ECOWAS efforts to reduce the cost of air travel across West Africa.
At their December 2024 summit in Abuja, ECOWAS heads of state agreed to eliminate several aviation taxes and reduce passenger service and security charges by at least 25%, with the reforms taking effect on January 1, 2026. Togo's decision goes a step further by targeting the cost of entering the domestic aviation market.
Implementation of the ECOWAS reforms, however, remains uneven. Chris Appiah, ECOWAS Director of Transport, said some member states have already begun implementing the measures, while others have yet to start. According to ECOWAS parliamentary experts, full implementation of the reforms could reduce airfares by about 40% while increasing passenger traffic by 20% to 30%.
Abdou noted that Togo also participated in the first African Air Transport Convention and Exhibition, held in Lomé from June 15 to 19, which helped participating countries assess the opportunities created by the Single African Air Transport Market.
He said the sharp reduction in airline entry fees demonstrates Togo's commitment to that agenda. "Togo is leading the way," he said.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
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