President John Dramani Mahama has announced that holders of African passports travelling to Ghana for business or tourism will no longer pay visa fees under the country’s new electronic visa (e-Visa) system.
The President made the announcement on Monday, May 25, during the official launch of Ghana’s e-Visa platform, describing the policy as a bold step towards strengthening African integration and promoting free movement across the continent.
According to him, all African passport holders will now be required to apply for visas to Ghana exclusively through the new online platform, but without any visa fee.
“For emphasis, all African passport holders will not be required to pay visa fees when they apply online,” President Mahama stated.
He explained that the new arrangement replaces the previous visa-on-arrival policy for African travellers, which has now been discontinued in favour of a more secure and efficient digital system.
However, he clarified that countries which already have visa waiver agreements with Ghana will continue to enjoy visa-free entry without any need to apply online.
President Mahama said the reform is part of Ghana’s commitment to the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Free Movement of Persons Protocol, which seeks to promote seamless travel, trade and integration across the continent.
He added that while progress on the continental protocol has been slow, Ghana is taking the lead by implementing practical measures to advance African unity.
The President stressed that the policy does not compromise national security, noting that the e-Visa system is fully integrated with Ghana’s advanced border security and international watchlist databases to ensure thorough screening of all applicants.
He further emphasized that Ghana’s openness to Africans is a deliberate policy choice aimed at deepening cooperation, economic growth and solidarity across the continent.
Source: Mubarak Yakubu
