Traveling between African countries is becoming increasingly accessible, thanks to growing trends in visa policy reforms across the continent.
A recent report, “Africa Visa Openness Index,” from 2016 to 2024 shows that 39 African countries have improved their visa rankings, signaling a positive shift towards easier travel across the continent. The increase in visa scores highlights the ongoing relaxation of travel restrictions, with a growing trend in visa policy reforms enhancing accessibility between African nations.
Nigeria has emerged fourth as the country with the most-improved visa-friendly ranking in Africa, making a significant leap, moving up from 25th to 6th place. However, several other countries have also seen impressive progress. Benin has surged to the top rank, climbing from 31st to 1st, followed by Ethiopia (46th to 19th), Sierra Leone (32nd to 13th), and Gambia (18th to 1st).
These advancements show a commitment to embracing visa openness, with some countries now sharing the top rank, a significant achievement in regional travel cooperation.
One of the most striking trends is the substantial increase in visa-free travel for African citizens. The percentage of intra-Africa travel scenarios where no visa is required has risen from 20% in 2016 to 28% in 2024, reflecting a 40% increase in visa-free travel opportunities over the past nine years.
These changes suggest that Africa is becoming a more connected region, encouraging tourism, business, and cultural exchanges as borders become more open to travelers across the continent.
Below are the top 10 African countries with the greatest improvement in visa friendliness from 2016 to 2024:
Rank Country Visa Openess Index Improvement score
1 Benin +0.704
2 Ethiopia +0.680
3 Sierra Leone +0.534
4 Nigeria +0.516
5 The Gambia +0.504
6 Ghana +0.498
7 Senegal +0.437
8 Namibia +0.431
9 Angola +0.325
10 Rwanda +0.178
