Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has provided clarity on President Mahama’s newly announced “Free Visas for Africans” policy.
Set to officially launch on May 25, 2026, to coincide with Africa Day, the initiative aims to remove financial barriers for African travelers while maintaining a sophisticated security net to protect Ghana’s borders.
The Minister explained that while the financial cost of entry is being waived, the administrative scrutiny remains as high as ever.
He clarified that not paying a fee does not equate to a bypass of national security protocols, noting that “Africans will still have to go through a visa application process like everyone else just that theirs would be gratis.”
This distinction is central to the government’s strategy of balancing pan-Africanism with national safety.
A core component of this rollout is the introduction of a comprehensive e-Visa platform scheduled to go live next month. This digital architecture will serve as the gateway for all international travelers, including those from the continent who qualify for the fee waiver.
The system is far from a simple digital form; it is integrated into Ghana’s newly established API-PNR system and global crime databases. This allows consular officers to conduct real-time background checks and vetting before any traveler sets foot in the country.
Addressing potential security concerns, the Minister was firm in stating that “people with criminal or deemed unsatisfactory records will not be admitted into Ghana.”
He posited that “not paying visa fees is not the same as automatic entry into Ghana. There shall be no automatic and unvetted entries.”
The announcement also served to differentiate this current push from previous attempts. Minister Ablakwa noted that while a similar policy was announced in 2024 under former President Nana Akufo-Addo, it failed to take off because the necessary security safeguards and technical mechanisms were not yet functional.
According to the Minister, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the Interior, and Transport have now made the “adequate investments” required to ensure a robust and technologically advanced framework is in place.
Minister Ablakwa concluded his statement with a festive greeting and a nod to the higher purpose of the policy, stating his wishes for a happy Easter “For God, Country and Continent.”
Below is the full statement
Facts about Ghana’s new Free Visas for Africans Policy as announced by President Mahama:
1) Africans will not pay visa fees;
2) Not paying visa fees does not mean you will not go through visa screening. Africans will still have to go through a visa application process like everyone else just that theirs would be gratis;
3) Government is also introducing an e-Visa policy next month;
4) The Free Visa for Africans is a component of the e-Visa initiative;
5) All applicants including Africans will have to apply for visas through the e-Visa platform;
6) The novel e-Visa system shall be linked to Ghana’s newly established API-PNR system and other international crime database which allows our consular officers to check background of applicants and provide appropriate vetting to ensure Ghana’s security is not compromised;
7) People with criminal or deemed unsatisfactory records will not be admitted into Ghana;
8) Not paying visa fees is not the same as automatic entry into Ghana. There shall be no automatic and unvetted entries.
9) Adequate investments have been made by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the Interior and Transport to ensure a robust and technologically advanced architecture is in place;
10) For clarity, though former President Nana Akufo-Addo announced a Free Visa for Africans policy in 2024, that could not commence because the mechanisms and security safeguards had not yet been put in place. As President Mahama indicated yesterday, Ghana is now ready to launch an e-Visa platform for all applicants across the world and a Free Visa for Africans policy from Africa Day which is May 25, 2026 fully anchored on appropriate security and technological frameworks.
May I wish you all a happy Easter.
For God, Country and Continent.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
