Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, approves a new policy granting visa-free entry to all African nationals. This initiative fulfills a key promise made earlier in the year and is set to take effect before the end of his term on January 6, 2025.
With this move, Ghana joins a small group of African countries, including Rwanda, Seychelles, The Gambia, and Benin, that offer visa-free access to all African passport holders.
The visa-free policy is aimed at enhancing the movement of people, goods, and services across the continent. It is expected to support the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by facilitating easier cross-border travel and promoting greater economic cooperation.
In his keynote speech at the 2024 Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD), President Akufo-Addo highlights that the policy will drive economic growth by enabling more fluid movement across African borders. He emphasizes that this will contribute to the AfCFTA’s objectives by fostering trade, collaboration, and integration within the continent.
During his speech on “Developing Prosperity in Africa: Produce, Add Value, and Trade,” President Akufo-Addo acknowledges the travel challenges faced by many African citizens. He points out that many attendees had to obtain visas to participate in the event, underscoring the barriers that still exist. He reassures that Ghana is committed to ensuring visa-free access for all African nationals, with steps already in place for implementation this year.
The introduction of visa-free travel is seen as a crucial step toward achieving the AfCFTA’s broader goals of creating a unified continental market. By eliminating visa requirements, Ghana fosters deeper economic integration, making it easier for African citizens to engage in trade, tourism, and business activities across the continent.
The new visa-free policy is set to be fully implemented before the end of President Akufo-Addo’s term in January 2025. The approval marks the beginning of the policy’s rollout, with the Ghanaian government taking the necessary steps to ensure its successful implementation. The policy is expected to strengthen Ghana’s position in the region and deepen its ties with other African countries.
