Akufo-Addo fulfills promise of Visa-Free travel for all Africans to Ghana
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has taken a landmark step toward African unity by fulfilling his January 2024 pledge to implement visa-free travel for citizens of all African countries.
This historic move according to a report by Asaase News received executive approval on Wednesday, December 18, and is set to take effect in early 2025, cementing Ghana’s position as a leader in promoting pan-African mobility.
Ghana now joins Rwanda, Seychelles, The Gambia, and Benin as the fifth African nation to institute visa-free entry for all African passport holders.
The announcement marks a significant stride in advancing the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), headquartered in Accra, which aims to create the world's largest single market by facilitating the seamless movement of goods, services, and people across borders.
President Akufo-Addo first unveiled this bold commitment during the 2024 Africa Prosperity Dialogues, held under the theme “Developing Prosperity in Africa: Produce, Add Value and Trade.”
Speaking to an audience of over 2,000 business executives and political leaders, the President highlighted the importance of fostering intra-African trade and mobility.
“Many of you had to acquire a visa to come to this event. The government of Ghana is committed to ensuring visa-free travel for all Africans entering our country, and the process has begun to implement this policy this year,” Akufo-Addo stated.
The AfCFTA Agreement, which underpins this effort, outlines protocols on trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights, and competition policy. By reducing trade barriers, it seeks to unlock the continent’s economic potential and establish Africa as a global powerhouse of commerce and innovation.