Africa’s drive to allow easier movement of people took centre stage on 12 December 2025 as the private sector and civil society met in Abidjan for a policy dialogue hosted by the African Development Bank and the African Union Commission.
The meeting marked 10 years of the Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI), which tracks how open African countries are to travellers from within the continent. Participants, including private sector representatives, development partners and civil society groups, discussed how freer movement supports trade, jobs and regional integration, and why progress remains uneven.
Opening the dialogue, Nnenna Nwabufo, African Development Bank Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, underscored that open visa policies help boost trade, tourism and investment and urged governments to turn political commitments into action.
“Over a decade of evidence shows that visa openness can be a deliberate development choice, strengthening trade, tourism, investment, and regional confidence,” Nwabufo said.
Speakers agreed that visa openness depends largely on political will. While security and capacity concerns are valid, many said these are often used to delay reform. Several interventions highlighted the disconnect between Africa’s stated integration goals and the daily experience of travellers and businesses, reinforcing the view that mobility reform relies as much on confidence and trust as on procedures.
Ladislas Nze Bekale, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AUC to Cote D’Ivoire, said progress over the past decade shows change is possible, but urged faster action. He called on governments to move toward a people-centred single African market.
In a virtual address, Prof Melaku Desta of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) said the vision of a more open Africa is realistic, but political momentum is slow.
Commending the African Development Bank for the report, Desta particularly endorsed the Africazone vision outlined in the 2025 Africa Visa Openness Index report, describing it as not only necessary but entirely feasible.
Eight years after the adoption of the African Union Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, only four member states have ratified it. Melaku Desta urged collaboration between UNECA and the Bank Group to translate analytical evidence into actionable strategies that overcome political inertia.
Progress Is Real, but Ambition Must Rise
Dr Joy Kategekwa, Director of Regional Integration Coordination Office at the Bank, acknowledged tangible gains while stressing that progress remains below Africa’s ambitions. She called for faster reforms, wider coalitions, and sustained political leadership, as participants symbolically signed a wall of commitment to a visa-free Africa. “This is where the next chapter begins. It starts with you,” she said.
On Thursday, 18 December 2025, the 2025 Africa Visa Openness Index report was officially launched at the Ninth Pan-African Forum on Migration in Cape Town, South Africa. Presenting the report, officials reiterated that mobility is the engine of African integration – fuelling trade, skills, investment, and opportunity.
According to the report, the continental average score rose to 0.448. The ten most open countries averaged 0.890, while the top twenty reached 0.781, underscoring both reform potential and the urgency for lagging states. Visa-free travel increased from 20% in 2016 to 28% in 2025, enabling millions more Africans to travel for business, tourism, family, and education. E‑visa availability grew from nine countries in 2016 to 31 today, reflecting digitalisation and improved border management.
However, visa‑on‑arrival access declined from 28% in 2020 to 20% in 2025, and pre-travel visa requirements eased only slightly from 55% to 51%. Countries recording notable improvements this year include Kenya, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, DRC, Botswana, Mali, Egypt, and Tanzania. Over the decade, Rwanda and The Gambia achieved full openness, with Kenya, Ghana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi also making significant gains. These reforms reflect a continent gradually aligning with its free movement agenda.
Click here for the report
