The Federal Government has inaugurated the National Air Transport Economic Oversight Committee (NATEOC) to coordinate efforts to address high aviation taxes, charges and fees and ensure Nigeria complies with the regional aviation policy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Chris Najomo, said the committee would serve as Nigeria’s main coordinating platform for implementing the regional policy and monitoring progress towards meeting the country’s obligations.

Najomo, represented by the Director of Air Transport Regulation, Mrs Olayinka Babaoye-Iriobe, disclosed this during the committee’s inauguration at the headquarters of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said the committee would assess compliance, identify implementation gaps, recommend policy adjustments and monitor progress towards fulfilling Nigeria’s regional aviation obligations.

The committee is also expected to develop an implementation roadmap, review relevant legislative and regulatory measures, facilitate publication of the necessary provisions in the national gazette and strengthen collaboration with regional institutions.

The inauguration comes as Nigeria works to implement the ECOWAS Supplementary Act A/SA.2/12/24, adopted by the Authority of Heads of State and Government at its 66th Ordinary Session in Abuja on December 15, 2024.

The regional instrument establishes a common framework for aviation taxes, charges and fees across ECOWAS member states. Its objectives include making air travel more affordable, improving transparency in aviation services and promoting fair competition in the regional air transport market.

Nigeria’s aviation industry has faced concerns over the burden of taxes and charges on airlines and passengers, with industry operators citing the country’s high aviation-related costs as a factor affecting air travel prices.

Babaoye-Iriobe said the committee’s task was to translate the regional agreement into practical and measurable actions rather than leave it as a policy commitment.

She added that implementation would be guided by the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Doc 9082, which provides policies on airport and air navigation service charges.

The NCAA also emphasised the need for sustained engagement with domestic airline operators, the International Air Transport Association and other stakeholders to ensure the policy was implemented effectively.

The Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary of the NCAA, Mrs Mary Tufano-Eche, urged committee members to examine the legal and legislative provisions supporting the ECOWAS agreement.

She said careful review was necessary to ensure that the regional policy could be incorporated into Nigeria’s aviation regulatory framework without conflicting with existing laws.

The committee’s work is expected to support greater coordination of aviation-related charges and strengthen Nigeria’s compliance with regional commitments, with the broader aim of improving affordability and transparency in air transport.