10 African nations lead continent's Visa Reform movement
In a remarkable shift towards borderless travel across Africa, new data from the Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI) reveals unprecedented progress in visa accessibility among African nations. Leading this transformation is Benin, which has made the most dramatic improvement, leaping from 31st to first place in visa friendliness between 2016 and 2024, alongside significant advances by Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and The Gambia.
The continent has witnessed a transformative 40% increase in visa-free travel scenarios over nine years, with the percentage of unrestricted travel rising from 20% in 2016 to 28% in 2024. This positive trend is exemplified by Benin's remarkable progress, scoring a 0.704 improvement on the AVOI scale, followed by Ethiopia with 0.680 and Sierra Leone with 0.534, demonstrating a strong West African leadership in visa reform.
These changes represent a significant stride toward the African Union's vision of seamless continental travel, with 39 countries showing improved scores since 2016. The movement is particularly notable in West Africa, where nations like Nigeria, The Gambia, Ghana, and Senegal have all made substantial progress, while countries from other regions, including Namibia, Angola, and Rwanda, round out the top ten most improved nations in visa openness.
Source: Visa Openness
