Outgoing Ghanaian President Nana Akufa-Addo on Friday announced visa-free travel for all African passport holders from the start of this year, marking a step towards continental economic integration.
The announcement came during his final address to the nation as he prepares to step down on January 6 after two terms in office.
“I am proud to have approved visa-free entry into Ghana for all African passport holders from the beginning of this year,” Akufa-Addo said in his address to Parliament.
“This is the logical next step towards the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the operation of the largest trading bloc in the world,” he said.
“All these are important elements for the implementation of the AU Agenda 2063, which envisages an integrated and connected Africa by 2063,” he added, referring to the African Union’s 50-year development plan.
Ghana joins Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia and Benin in offering visa-free entry to African travellers.
Ghana previously allowed visa-free access for citizens of 26 African countries and visa-on-arrival for travelers from 25 other countries, while only two African countries – Eritrea and Morocco – required visas before entry.
The visa-free policy builds on Ghana’s efforts to strengthen its international profile, notably through initiatives such as the 2019 Year of Return, which celebrated the African diaspora and the 400th anniversary of the transatlantic slave trade.
The campaign attracted thousands of visitors to Ghana, including celebrities, and led to citizenship for some, strengthening the country’s global status as a cultural and tourism hub.
Akufa-Addo also used his latest address to trumpet economic progress under his leadership, citing an increase in Ghana’s gross international reserves to $8 billion from $6.2 billion in 2017 and significant GDP growth in 2024.
“Economic growth has returned to its pre-Covid trajectory,” he said, forecasting a growth rate of 6.3 percent in 2025.
“I leave behind a prosperous Ghana that has dealt with significant global challenges with remarkable tenacity, whose economy is steadily recovering and whose institutions are functioning effectively,” he said.
Rich in oil and gold, the West African nation is one of Africa’s most stable democracies.
Since 2022, it has been battling one of the worst economic crises in decades and is currently under a $3 billion bailout program from the International Monetary Fund.
The outgoing president is handing over power to John Mahama, who won the December election.
