Africa’s Visa Openness Index Hits All-Time High in 2023
The 2023 Africa Visa Openness Index shows record progress in visa policies, with 42 countries welcoming travelers from five or more African nations without a visa and 34% of intra-African journeys now visa-free.
According to a report released on Thursday, 7 December by the African Union and the African Development Bank, the Africa Visa Openness Index has made significant strides since the seventh edition was published in December 2022. The overall index score has now risen above pre-pandemic levels.
The Africa Visa Openness Index measures how welcoming African countries are to travellers from other African countries.
42 African countries now grant visa-free entry to citizens of at least five other African countries, while 33 countries do the same for citizens of at least ten African countries.
In 28% of all intra-African trips, travellers do not need a visa, bringing the continent closer to the vision of a prosperous, integrated Africa where people can fulfil their potential without being held back by restrictive visa barriers.
The 2023 index has reached its highest level yet, slightly exceeding the previous peak recorded in 2020.
Four countries now waive visas for citizens of all African nations (Benin, Gambia, Rwanda and Seychelles and Kenya is set to follow soon).
Since 2016, the number of African countries offering an e-visa system has almost tripled – rising from just nine to 24 in 2023.
Rwanda and regional bodies lead the way
In 2023, Rwanda emerged as a new champion of visa openness after steadily easing travel rules over eight years. Back in 2016, the landlocked nation granted visa-free access to citizens from roughly 90% of other African countries; today, all African travellers can enter without prior formalities.
e-Visas: a fast-growing trend
In 2023, 24 African countries – 44% of the continent – introduced an e-visa for African visitors, up from just nine countries (17% of the continent) in 2016. The e-visa is fast becoming a practical solution that makes travel smoother while improving the safety and transparency of visa issuance.
The top African visa-openness performers in 2023
Benin, Gambia, Rwanda and Seychelles currently stand out for offering visa-free entry to all other African countries, helping to deepen regional cooperation, boost trade, tourism and investment, and build stronger continental ties.
The economic case for visa openness in Africa
The steady rise in the Africa Visa Openness Index is pivotal to regional integration and the continent’s economic development. Expanding the African Continental Free Trade Area and facilitating the free movement of people can lift productivity, create jobs and attract more foreign direct investment.
The ultimate goal is to forge a strongly integrated Africa where the free movement of goods, services, capital and people becomes a reality – a point underscored by Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Service Delivery at the African Development Bank.