On October 21, 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced that Ghana would implement a electronic visa system by 2026. The main objective is to simplify entry processes for technology professionals, investors and business travellers. The initiative also aims to position the country as a more accessible destination for international trade.
The announcement of this plan was made at the Technology and Innovation Conference and Expo. MOBEX Africa Tech Expo and Innovation Conference 2025 in Accra. Mr. Ablakwa described the e-visa project as part of wider efforts to modernize Ghana's diplomatic services.
An electronic visa application system
The system will allow applicants to fill in their online visa applications. This approach should reduce processing times and, in many cases, avoid future travelers having to visit consulates or Ghanaian embassies in person.
By simplifying visa procedures, the government hopes to remove an obstacle long identified by business leaders as complicating rapid commercial engagement with Ghanaian opportunities and partners. The e-visa system promises to avoid the delays associated with booking appointments at embassies, travelling to consular offices and waiting for documents to be physically processed. Technology entrepreneurs could potentially get their visas approved in a matter of days rather than weeks, provided the system works as intended.
Ghana's e-Visa system to join other similar platforms already operational in other parts of AfricaThese include Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with its African counterparts to reduce barriers to cross-border digital services and enable mutual recognition of digital identifiers.
E-visa to boost international trade
Ghana is actively seeking to attract iforeign investment and strengthen its role in the regional technological development. The country's economic development strategy focuses on attracting foreign direct investment in the services, technology and manufacturing sectors, where Ghana's educated workforce and relatively stable governance offer competitive advantages. Current visa procedures create friction that could steer potential investors towards competing destinations offering simpler entry processes.
Focus on innovation and digital
The Minister pointed out that other digital initiatives were underway at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These include online consular services for Ghanaians living abroad and remote diplomatic engagements, designed to extend the Ministry's reach while containing operational costs. These measures recognize that traditional models of diplomatic service delivery, based on physical presence and paper documentation, are increasingly struggling to meet the needs of fast-paced business environments and globally mobile populations.
Mr. Ablakwa insisted on the importance for Africa of seizing the opportunities offered by the technology and leverage digitization for transformation. In particular, he mentioned that initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area will depend on robust digital connectivity to realize their potential in facilitating cross-border trade.
An e-visa project under development
However, the successful implementation of this system will require the following challenges to be met several technical and operational challenges which have complicated similar projects elsewhere. Among other things, the Ministry will have to guarantee the system's security to protect applicants' data, maintain reliable connectivity for users in different regions, train consular staff in the new procedures and integrate the platform with existing immigration databases.
The effectiveness of the system will also depend on clear communication of requirements, transparent processing procedures and consistent decision-making to ensure applicants' confidence in the integrity of the system.
The 2026 deadline gives the Ministry around 14 months to design, test and deploy the e-visa system, while training staff and communicating the changes to potential users. For diplomatic missions abroad, the move to e-visa could potentially reduce the consular workload associated with visa processing.
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