Speaking at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa on February 12, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced that Ghanaian passport holders can now travel to about 50 countries without obtaining a visa in advance.
The announcement marks part of a broader diplomatic effort by Ghana to deepen bilateral ties and strengthen the global mobility of its citizens. Additional visa waiver agreements are expected in the coming months, according to the Minister.
“Expect more visa waiver agreements this year. Even within the month of March, you’ll be hearing some good news. April, some good news. May, there’ll be some good news. Expect more,” he told journalists.
Visa waivers allow travelers to enter partner countries without lengthy pre-approval processes. In some cases, Ghanaians can travel visa-free for a fixed number of days. In others, visas are granted on arrival or through simplified electronic systems.
Officials argue that expanded mobility could support trade, investment, and tourism by reducing bureaucratic barriers. Business owners, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, stand to benefit from faster access to regional and international markets.
Countries offering visa-free entry to Ghanaians include African partners such as Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa, as well as Caribbean states like Barbados.
Zambia recently joined the list through a visa-on-arrival agreement, reflecting growing intra-African mobility cooperation.
Ghana’s push aligns with wider African Union goals to ease movement across the continent, promote trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and strengthen diplomatic partnerships.
“We want the Ghanaian passport to be the most valued passport in Africa and one of the most valued anywhere in the world. And we are on course. We are very much on course,” Mr. Ablakwa said.
He credited diplomatic teams for negotiating the agreements and described visa liberalization as central to Ghana’s foreign policy agenda.
As visa access expands, authorities are also tightening passport security. Mr. Ablakwa emphasized that enhanced safeguards are in place to prevent misuse.
“Remember that the passport itself, many people do not know that it is now probably the most secure in terms of the security features we have. It’s now fully chip-embedded, no longer biometric, and we are ahead of so many countries,” he said.
He added that the Ministry has introduced advanced technology, including AI tools, to detect fraud and prevent unauthorized access to Ghanaian travel documents.