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The Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has emphasized the need for Africa to remove visa restrictions to boost trade, innovation, and economic growth.
Speaking at the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2026 in Accra, Debrah highlighted the challenges faced by African entrepreneurs and young people due to multiple visa requirements, which hinder business expansion and cross-border collaboration.
He cited the experience of former Member of Parliament Ras Mubarak, who led a Pan-African tour to advocate for a visa-free Africa. Despite the initiative’s ambition, the group could only visit 31 countries, applying for 12 different visas and waiting up to three months for responses.
The Chief of Staff, stressed that relaxed travel restrictions would allow entrepreneurs, youth, and small businesses to tap into opportunities beyond their home countries, aligning with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) objectives.
Mr. Debrah urged policymakers and stakeholders to prioritize free movement, essential for unlocking Africa’s economic potential and empowering women, youth, and SMEs. He emphasized that easing visa barriers would drive investment, growth, and intra-African trade, creating a single market for goods, services, capital, and people ¹ ² ³.
The event, themed “Empowering SMEs, Women and Youth in Africa’s Single Market: Innovate, Collaborate and Trade,” brought together leaders to discuss Africa’s economic integration.
Ghana has already taken steps towards regional integration, abolishing visa requirements for Zambian citizens, enhancing tourism and business exchanges.
