•Togo flag
When the Togolese government recently announced that citizens of all African countries will no longer require visas to enter its territory, it was not just a travel policy adjustment but another bold statement in the continent’s long and difficult journey towards continental integration.
Under the new policy, which took effect since May 18, African passport holders can easily enter the country without a visa and stay for up to 30 days, provided they complete a pre-arrival declaration online as stipulated by the protocol on free movement of persons and goods.
The Togolese government described the move as part of efforts to deepen African integration, strengthen free movement, and position the country as a regional hub for trade, services, and human exchange, reports The Guardian.
With the decision, Togo joins a small but growing list of African countries pushing for near-borderless movement across the continent. Those that have either fully or substantially opened their borders to fellow Africans include Rwanda, Ghana, Benin, Seychelles, and The Gambia.
Rwanda was among the earliest champions of the policy following former President Paul Kagames 2013 declaration of visas on arrival for African citizens. Over the years, Kigali gradually evolved the system into one of Africas most open entry regimes in the continent.
Ghana has followed with broader visa liberalisation efforts tied to the African Unions integration agenda, while Seychelles has long maintained one of the continents most accessible entry systems.
The push for easier movement is closely linked to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which officially commenced trading in 2021. The trade pact seeks to create a single African market of more than 1.4 billion people with a combined Gross Domestic Products (GDP) exceeding $3 trillion.
But many experts have argued that trade integration cannot succeed where the movement of people remains restricted. For decades, Africans have paradoxically found it easier to travel to Europe, Asia or the Middle East than to neighbouring African countries, as visa bottlenecks, expensive entry permits, embassy delays, and border restrictions remained major barriers to business, tourism, labour mobility, and continental cooperation.
The African Development Bank (ADB) once described Africa as one of the worlds least integrated regions in terms of mobility, despite strong rhetoric around Pan-Africanism.
Consequently, Togos latest move reflects a growing recognition that economic integration cannot happen on paper alone.
Economic implications are significant. Easier travel boosts tourism revenues, increases regional investments, and opens fresh opportunities for small businesses and startups seeking access to continental markets.
Airlines, hotels, logistics operators, and cross-border traders also stand to benefit directly from increased human movement.
Countries such as Rwanda and Kenya have repeatedly argued that liberal visa policies attract conferences, investors, and entrepreneurs. Kigali for instance, transformed into one of the continents leading conference destinations largely due to easier entry procedures.
The impact also extends to employment and innovation. African tech founders, creatives, academics, and professionals have long complained about visa restrictions that make collaboration across the continent unnecessarily difficult.
Supporters of a visa-free Africa held that freer movement will help create a more competitive continental workforce and reduce dependence on foreign markets.
However, beyond economics lies the ideological argument of Pan-Africanism. From Kwame Nkrumah to Julius Nyerere, African leaders have historically argued that political independence without continental unity will leave Africa vulnerable economically and diplomatically.
The ongoing visa liberalisation efforts are increasingly seen as practical expressions of those ideals. Togo linked its new policy directly to Pan-African ideals and continental solidarity.
In spite of its numerous benefits, many governments have remained reluctant towards full opening of their borders due to fears of terrorism, transnational crime, illegal migration, and trafficking networks.
The Sahel crisis, insurgency in parts of West and East Africa, and rising political instability have compelled some countries to be more cautious.
Critics also warned that weak border management systems can render some countries vulnerable if visa policies are liberalised without adequate security coordination; the proponents of visa-free policies still retain pre-arrival registration, biometric checks, and immigration screening systems.
Togo’s new policy, for instance, still requires travellers to submit travel declarations at least 24 hours before arrival.
Unfortunately, Nigeria occupies a complicated position in Africa’s visa liberalisation debate. While it has, on the one hand traditionally supported regional mobility through ECOWAS protocols, which allow citizens of West African states to move freely within member countries, it has on the other hand, historically maintained relatively strict visa control for many African countries outside the ECOWAS region.
However, the recent implementation of a 30-day visa-free entry arrangement for citizens of Rwanda followed bilateral discussions between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame.
The Nigerian government said the move was aimed at promoting intra-African trade, tourism, and broader continental integration under AfCFTA. It has also been reforming its visa regime through digitalisation.
The Interior Ministry recently announced plans to automate short-stay visa approvals to improve ease of doing business and attract investors.
While former President Muhammadu Buhari backed the African Unions single African air transport and free trade agenda, Tinubu has tied mobility reforms to trade expansion and regional cooperation.
Yet, Nigeria remains cautious compared to Rwanda or Seychelles, possibly due to the prevailing security situation, population concerns, and fears of economic migration.
Although the country’s size makes any border liberalisation politically sensitive, supporters argue that as the largest economy and one of the continent’s biggest cultural exporters, it has more to gain than to lose from deeper African mobility.
The countrys banking sector, entertainment industry, fintech ecosystem, and manufacturing base are already expanding across Africa, and easier travel can accelerate that expansion.
Also, as global powers increasingly compete for influence in Africa, many believe that stronger continental mobility will help Africa negotiate from a position of greater collective strength rather than fragmented national interests.
The African Union has long proposed an African passport and wider mobility reforms, but implementation remains uneven across member states. Togo’s announcement represents another symbolic but important step towards that vision.
The bigger question is whether more African countries, especially major economies such as Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt are willing to move beyond mere declarations. Until then, the idea of a truly borderless Africa remains more aspiration than reality, even as momentum gradually builds across the continent.
