Nigeria has been ranked the third most expensive country in Africa for international and regional air travel fees, with passengers paying an average of $180 in taxes, charges, and fees per ticket. This is according to a new report released on July 2, 2025, by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), which assessed ticket-related charges across African countries.
Gabon topped the list at $297.70, followed by Sierra Leone at $294. Nigeria was closely followed by Djibouti ($168.70), Niger ($130.70), Benin ($123.40), and Ghana ($111.50). On the other end of the spectrum, some countries offered significantly lower departure costs, such as Libya at $1.30, Malawi at $5.00, Lesotho at $5.70, and Algeria at $9.80. Others with modest charges included Eswatini at $14.20, Tunisia at $15.40, Botswana at $18.90, Morocco at $25.10, São Tomé at $26.00, Angola at $28.40, and South Africa at $28.50.
Regionally, West Africa remains the most expensive sub-region for international air travel with an average of $109.50 in ticket-related charges, up from $96.50 in 2022. Central Africa followed with $106.60, also showing a $10 increase. Eastern and Southern Africa were more affordable, averaging $63.32 and $34.50 respectively, while Northern Africa remains the least expensive region, with an average of $25.27. For regional departures within the continent, Sierra Leone once again topped the list with a fee of $294, followed by Gabon at $260 and Nigeria at $180. The regional average for intra-African departures rose slightly from $57.40 in 2022 to $59.05 in 2025.

West Africa again ranked as the most expensive region for regional travel, charging an average of $97 compared to $80.20 in 2022. Central Africa followed with an average of $85.90, while Eastern and Southern Africa averaged $52.80 and $33.30 respectively. AFRAA’s data highlights that more than half of the countries in West and Central Africa (12 out of 23) charge more than $100 in ticket-related fees, despite only accounting for 23 percent of the continent’s air traffic. In contrast, Northern African nations, which represent 35 percent of Africa’s total traffic, generally charge under $50.
Globally, African air travelers pay significantly more than their counterparts elsewhere. The average African regional departure tax stands at $68, more than double the $32 paid by European travelers and $34 by those in the Middle East. African passengers also pay more line-item taxes, with 3.5 ticket-related charges per departure compared to 2.53 in Europe and 2.69 in the Middle East. AFRAA attributed this disparity in part to the perception of air travel as a luxury service in Africa, which leads many governments and airport authorities to impose excessive charges, even as airlines across the continent struggle with profitability.
The association urged African governments to harmonize their aviation tax structures and explore alternative funding mechanisms for aviation infrastructure development, warning that high travel fees discourage regional mobility, tourism, and investment. As Nigeria pushes for greater air connectivity, tourism growth, and aviation reform, its elevated departure costs could become a significant policy concern, especially as the country aims to attract more regional and international air traffic.