Ghana Announces Visa-Free Travel for All African Citizens

On 3 January 2025, the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, announced that all African citizens with valid passports can now visit Ghana without attaining a visa. The policy was first announced in December 2024 but this recent statement, the President’s final state-of-the-nation address, confirmed that the policy was now in place.

In his statement, the President expressed that he was “proud to have approved visa-free travel to Ghana for all African passport holders, with effect from the beginning of this year.”

Previously, Ghana enabled visa-free travel for eligible citizens of some African countries; others will require a visa on arrival. This change will enable eligible citizens of any African country to enter Ghana without a visa—though they will still need to meet other travel requirements, such as successfully passing through border control.

As part of the African Continental Free Trade Area which launched four years ago, Ghana has made numerous policy changes including the relaxation of their visa policy to encourage travel and investment in the country.

Ghana is now the fifth African country to enable a visa-free travel policy, following Benin, Gambia, Seychelles, and Rwanda, in an attempt to reduce barriers to trade and tourism across the continent.