LOMÉ, Togo — Togo has announced the immediate removal of visa requirements for citizens of all African countries, following a growing continental trend to dismantle barriers at borders to increase trade and tourism.
The major policy shift was confirmed on Tuesday in a statement issued by Togo’s Ministry of Security.
Under the new rules, any African citizen holding a valid national passport will be permitted to enter the West African nation visa-free for tourism or business stays lasting up to 30 days.
A Space of Openness
The Togolese presidency is pushing the reform as a deliberate step towards continental unity, echoing long-standing ambitions by the African Union to create a passport-free zone across the continent.
“Togo takes a historic step in strengthening African integration”, the ministry’s statement read. “Through this major reform, the president of the council reaffirms his commitment to making Togo a space of openness, mobility, opportunities, and cooperation at the heart of the African continent.”
While the entry visa has been abolished, the government has maintained a digital tracking layer for security. Travellers will still be required to fill out an online travel declaration on the official government portal at least 24 hours before their departure to secure an automated arrival slip.
The Race for Continental Mobility
Togo’s announcement places it within an elite group of African nations—including Rwanda, Seychelles, the Gambia and Kenya—that have moved toward completely open-border policies for fellow Africans.
Historically, travelling across Africa has been notoriously difficult and expensive for Africans themselves, often requiring more rigorous visa vetting than that faced by European or North American passport holders.
The push to ease these restrictions has gained significant momentum following the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a continent-wide market that economists warn cannot succeed if business travellers and logistics experts remain blocked by bureaucratic immigration rules.
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