Ghana and Zambia have signed a landmark visa waiver agreement that will allow citizens of both countries to travel between the two nations without the need for visas. It is a move that will deepen people-to-people ties and unlock new economic opportunities.
The agreement was announced by Minister for Foreign Affairs – Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of Ghana, during the state visit of President John Dramani Mahama to Zambia, where bilateral trade, tourism and diplomatic cooperation were discussed.
While addressing the journalists, Ablakwa stated the agreement as ‘one of the most significant outcomes’ of the trip, saying it would remove ‘long-standing bureaucratic hurdles’ suffered by students, businesspeople, tourists and professionals.
Noting that the waiver was a key directive from President Mahama, he said that “You will no longer have to stress about visas.” Then, President Mahama was welcomed in Lusaka by his Zambian counterpart i.e. President Hakainde Hichilema, who welcomed the pact as a boost for regional mobility.
Officials on both sides said that the visa-free travel arrangement is expected to enhance trade, tourism, investment and cultural exchange between the two countries.
Further, the visa waiver reflects a broader push among African states to ease cross-border movement as part of wider regional integration efforts.
Also, African Union frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) envision freer movement of people and goods as a way to grow intra-African trade and investment. Advocates say visa liberalisation reduces the cost and complexity of travel, supporting business expansion and stronger cultural ties.
Ghana has been actively expanding visa access in recent years, concluding multiple agreements and signalling plans to roll out an e-visa system to make travel smoother for diaspora Africans and others.
Economists and regional integration supporters argue that more visa waiver agreements across Africa would stimulate intra-continental tourism, trade, and labour mobility, making business and travel easier for citizens across the continent.
They said that such easier movement can help Africa in better realising the economic potential of its 1.4 billion people by facilitating cross-border linkages and expanding access to education, jobs and markets.
As Ghana and Zambia begin implementing the waiver, observers said that the pact could serve as a model for other African nations seeking to strengthen economic cooperation and build an Africa that is more connected and open.