• Gabon aviation regulator seeks suspension of new N7 passenger fee
• Airlines told to halt payments; Gabon among highest-taxed markets
• High fees raise ticket prices, hinder profitability, SAATM integration

Gabon's National Agency for Civil Aviation (ANAC) has officially requested that "the High Authorities" suspend the N7 passenger security fee, which has been charged by airport security group Westminster since June. "Airlines have been advised not to pay the corresponding invoices and to comply with the directives that will be specified in the upcoming official statement," ANAC said on its website.

The ANAC's request, revealed during a recent meeting with representatives of the Airline Operators Committee (AOC), is part of a broader effort to revise the national air transport sector's fee structure. The move follows a recent report by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) that ranked Gabon as one of the top 10 African countries with the highest airline taxes. The country levies up to $297.9 on international passenger tickets.

Local media reports say the tax increases were also the subject of a letter from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to the Ministry of Transport, which reportedly expressed concern over tax policies deemed non-compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommendations.

Airlines generally pass these taxes directly on to travelers, leading to higher ticket prices in Africa than elsewhere in the world, according to industry bodies. AFRAA says airport taxes and fees can represent up to 40% of the ticket price in some African countries.

According to experts, these charges also affect airlines' profitability and limit their investment and expansion opportunities. IATA noted that "of the $32.4 billion in net profit generated by the entire global airline industry in 2024, a margin of 3.4%, Africa accounts for only $200 million, or less than 0.6%."

Furthermore, aviation industry bodies have identified Africa's tax policies as one of the obstacles to the effective implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), which advocates for an "open" African sky by removing market access restrictions.

Henoc Dossa