Encouraging progress is being made in Africa visa policies, although more work is needed to unlock the continent’s full travel potential. This is according to Kamil Al-Awadhi, IATA Regional Vice President, who was speaking at the association’s 81st Annual General Meeting.
As of 2024, Benin, The Gambia, Rwanda, and the Seychelles grant visa-free entry to all African nationals. As a result of improved visa openness on the continent, 28% of all intra-African travel in 2024 was visa-free, up from 20% in 2016.
Additionally, by the end of 2024, 26 African countries, representing 44% of the continent, had implemented e-visa systems. This indicated a substantial growth from just nine countries in 2016, indicating improved digitisation and accessibility.
