President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has granted approval for visa-free entry to Ghana for all African nationals, fulfilling a key promise made earlier this year.
The policy is expected to take effect before the end of the president’s term on January 6th, 2025.
According to BBC News, All African passport holders are now able to visit Ghana without needing a visa, outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo has said.
Reports inform that this places Ghana among the few African nations offering visa-free access to all African passport holders, joining Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia, and Benin. The move is a step toward improving the movement of people, goods, and services across the continent, and it is expected to foster greater economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Policy goal: improving continental integration
In his final state-of-the-nation address on Friday, he said that the policy had come into effect at the beginning of the year.
“I am proud to have approved visa-free travel to Ghana for all African passport holders, with effect from the beginning of this year,” Akufo-Addo told lawmakers in his last address to parliament before he steps down next week after eight years in office.
“This is the logical next step to the African Continental Free Trade Area and the workings of the largest trading bloc in the world,” he said referring to the zone that came into effect four years ago.
Commitment to the policy
Akufo-Addo had announced this last month, while delivering his address under the theme “Developing Prosperity in Africa: Produce, Add Value, and Trade.” He acknowledged the challenges many African citizens face when traveling within the continent. “Many of you had to acquire a visa to attend this event,” he said, highlighting the barriers that still exist.
He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to visa-free travel for all African nationals, noting that steps had already been taken to implement the policy this year.
Expected impact on the AfCFTA
The introduction of visa-free travel is seen as an important step toward achieving the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to create a single continental market for goods and services.
By removing visa requirements, Ghana is fostering deeper economic integration and making it easier for people to move freely across the continent. This aligns with the broader objectives of AfCFTA to stimulate intra-African trade and improve economic cooperation among African nations.
Implementation timeline
The new visa-free entry policy will be in effect before the end of President Akufo-Addo’s term on January 6th, 2025. The president’s approval of the initiative marks the beginning of its implementation, with the Ghanaian government taking the necessary steps to roll out the policy. The move is expected to enhance Ghana’s role in the region and strengthen its ties with neighboring African countries.
