President Akufo-Addo fulfilled a promise delivered last January to international participants, mainly business executives, at the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2024. His promise was to allow visa-free travel to Ghana for citizens of all other African countries before his term of office expired on January 6, 2025. This decision, as reported by Asaase News, received executive approval on Wednesday, December 18, and is scheduled to come into effect in early 2025. This move solidifies Ghana’s position as a key advocate for pan-African mobility, joining the ranks of Rwanda, Seychelles, The Gambia, and Benin as the fifth African nation to allow visa-free entry for all African passport holders.
The initiative aligns with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), headquartered in Accra, which aims to establish the world’s largest single market by facilitating the smooth movement of goods, services, and people across borders.
President Akufo-Addo unveiled this commitment during the 2024 Africa Prosperity Dialogues, emphasising the importance of enhancing intra-African trade and mobility.
Addressing an audience of over 2,000 business executives and political leaders, he highlighted the government’s dedication to enabling visa-free travel for all Africans entering Ghana.
This will be a major boost for the African Union’s ongoing efforts to allow the free movement of people, goods, and services as the continent works towards implementing the world’s largest single market, involving at least 55 nation states.
The Commissioner for Economic Development Trade Tourism Industry and Minerals at the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat, Albert Muchanga, has stated that President Akufo-Addo’s decision to grant executive approval for visa-free travel to Ghana by all Africans is a move in the right direction and marks a step forward to the vision of creating a single African Market under AfCFTA.
“It is most welcome. It is a move in the right direction. We have the Protocol of the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community Relating to the Free Movement of People, Right of Residence, and Right of Establishment. The Protocol also provides for mutual recognition of professional qualifications,” Albert Muchanga told Asaase News in an exclusive interview.
“The move removes a major non-tariff barrier to intra-African trade and takes a step forward in realizing the vision of creating a single African market under the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is headquartered in Accra, Ghana,” Mr Muchanga added.