African countries have made significant progress in their freedom of travel policies, with 93% of nations on the continent maintaining or improving their scores on the 2022 Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI).
Compiled by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in collaboration with the African Union, the index tracks visa policies adopted by African governments on three main criteria: whether entry to citizens from other African countries is visa-free, if a visa on arrival can be obtained, and whether travellers are required to obtain visas ahead of travelling to other African countries.
The index ranks countries on a scale between 0 and 1, with 1 being the most open and 0 the most restrictive.
“As the 2022 report shows, African countries are dismantling many of the measures imposed during the pandemic. Indeed, on the whole, the continent has returned to a level of visa openness last seen just before the pandemic began,” said Jean-Guy Afrika, Acting Director of Regional Integration Coordination at AfDB.
The top three countries – Benin, the Seychelles and the Gambia, all of which achieved 1 on the index – offer visa-free entry to Africans of all other countries. Ghana was ranked in fourth place, with Rwanda just behind in fifth. Rwanda offers visa-free entry to citizens of 18 African countries, while granting visas to all other Africans on arrival.
West Africa leads
Seven of the top 10 countries on the index are part of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with the 15 countries of the region averaging a score of 0.623. The report recognises reciprocity amongst member states as being a key driver of visa openness.
“The nationals of 97% of ECOWAS member states do not require a visa to travel within the ECOWAS region. The region is also making strides on increasing its openness to non-ECOWAS countries: ECOWAS officials have agreed on a harmonised ECOWAS visa regime (ECOVISA) that will standardise travel modalities to the region and within it,” the report highlights.
SADC scores high, East Africa improves
Boosted by high levels of visa openness in the Seychelles, Mauritius (11th), Mozambique (13th) Comores (14th) and Madagascar (15th), the Southern African Development Community ranks second behind ECOWAS among the continent’s eight regional economic communities, with an average score of 0.536.
South Africa, which has struggled to get its eVisa policy off the ground and does not offer visas on arrival, came in 33rd place with a score of 0.36, followed closely by Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho and Angola.
Nick Careen, Iata Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security, stressed in the report that countries with complex visa procedures were losing significant economic benefit from travellers.
“Where countries have removed visa requirements, tourism and travel economies have thrived. And for countries requiring certain categories of travellers to get visas, taking advantage of traveller willingness to use online processes and share information in advance would be a win-win solution.”
In addition to a high level of openness from Rwanda, Burundi was among the most improved countries for the year, with its rise from 44th place to 12th driven by reforms to accept all Africans into the country, either on visa-free travel or visas on arrival.
Key findings
- 24 African countries offer an eVisa – five more than five years ago.
- 36 countries have improved or maintained their score since 2016.
- 50 countries have maintained or improved their score relative to 2021, usually after removing some of the visa policy restrictions implemented during the pandemic.
- 48 countries out of 54 – the vast majority of African countries – now offer visa-free travel to the nationals of at least one other African country.
- 42 countries offer visa-free travel to the nationals of at least five other African countries.
- For 27% of intra-Africa travel, African citizens do not need a visa, up from 25% in 2021.
- For 27% of intra-Africa travel, African citizens can obtain a visa on arrival, up from 24% in 2021.
- For 47% of intra-Africa travel, African citizens are still required to obtain a visa before travelling, an improvement of 51% in 2021.
Suggestions for visa improvements
The report recommends that countries in Africa “adopt liberal, forward-looking policies that dismantle barriers to the movement of persons, whether by embracing technology or by lowering administrative and transaction costs”.
Suggested actions include a continent-wide adoption of visas on arrival, implementing secure and reliable eVisa systems, the creation of regional bloc visas, longer-term visas for repeat and regular travellers and simplifying processes and making requirements less onerous.
Afrika said the continent should also seek to accelerate overall progress in areas such as the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which 44 of 54 signatories have now ratified.
“We understand that freeing the movement of people creates a more favourable business environment, attracts investment, and stimulates intra- and interregional trade. It also promotes social cohesion and improves African citizens' quality of life. Africa deserves nothing less.”
