Burkina Faso’s military government has announced it is scrapping visa fees for all African nationals in a move it says is intended to strengthen Pan-African solidarity and promote the free movement of people and goods.
The country’s Minister of Security, Mahamadou Sana, confirmed the policy change following a cabinet meeting. He stated that “any citizen from an African country wishing to go to Burkina Faso will not pay any amount to cover visa fees.”
While the visa fee is being removed, travellers will still be required to submit an online application for approval before they can enter the country.
The move comes amid a period of regional uncertainty after Burkina Faso, along with its neighbours Mali and Niger, withdrew from the West African economic bloc, ECOWAS, earlier this year. Citizens of West African nations were already able to travel to Burkina Faso without visas.
The junta’s information service stated that the new policy will also “help promote tourism and Burkinabe culture, and improve Burkina Faso’s visibility abroad.”
Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who came to power in a 2022 coup, has increasingly styled himself as a Pan-Africanist leader who is critical of former colonial influence. His popularity has been amplified across the continent, particularly on social media.
Burkina Faso, like its neighbours, has been grappling with an Islamist insurgency for over a decade. It is estimated that nearly 40% of the country’s territory is outside of state control. Despite closer security ties with Russia and repeated promises by the junta to restore stability, attacks on both civilians and the military remain frequent.
The Sahelian nation now joins a growing list of African countries, including Ghana, Rwanda, and Kenya, that have adopted policies to make travel easier for people from across the continent. This aligns with a broader push by the African Union for greater continental integration.
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