• The policy was announced during a state visit by Zimbabwe’s president and follows a previous, unimplemented initiative.
• Ghana joins Benin, The Gambia, Rwanda, and Seychelles as the fifth African nation with visa-free entry for Africans.
• This measure is linked to Ghana's rollout of a new e-visa system to streamline entry while maintaining border controls.
The policy, announced by President John Mahama, will take effect on May 25, aligning with Africa Day celebrations.
President Mahama announced the policy during the first state visit of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa to Ghana, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa.
The policy builds on an earlier initiative introduced under former President Nana Akufo-Addo, who announced visa-free travel for all African passport holders in his final State of the Nation Address in January 2025.
The measure, initially expected to take effect in 2025, did not materialise as planned before the end of his tenure.
With this move, Ghana joins a small group of African countries which includes Benin, The Gambia, Rwanda, and Seychelles that already allow visa-free entry to all African nationals.
The policy removes the need for pre-arrival visas, marking a significant shift in Ghana’s travel and immigration framework.
The visa-free regime will form part of a broader reform of Ghana’s immigration system, including the introduction of a new e-visa platform expected to launch next month. Authorities say the system is designed to streamline entry processes while maintaining border controls.
Ablakwa noted that the policy is aimed at reinforcing the country’s position as the cradle of Pan-Africanism, while unlocking gains in tourism and intra-African trade through the reform.
He added that the visa-free regime will form part of a broader e-visa system set to be launched by the Mahama administration next month.
Ghana’s government has also been expanding travel access for its own citizens. The Foreign Ministry said 23 visa waiver agreements have been negotiated for Ghanaian passport holders since last year.
The introduction of visa-free entry for all Africans is expected to support increased mobility across the continent, with potential implications for tourism, business travel, and regional integration.
The move aligns with broader continental efforts to ease movement under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
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