Business
Ghana Moves to Boost Trade, Tourism with Visa-Free Access for Africans
President John Dramani Mahama announces Ghana’s move to introduce a visa-free policy for all Africans starting May 25, 2026, targeting improved mobility and deeper regional cooperation.
The announcement followed a bilateral meeting with Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa at Peduase Lodge in Ghana’s Eastern Region.
Ghana’s President John Mahama (R) and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, pose for a photo on April 2, 2026, in Accra, Ghana. /Ghana Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Under the new policy, African travellers will be able to apply for electronic visas at no cost, marking a shift in Ghana’s immigration system aimed at improving accessibility while maintaining security standards.
Mahama said the move reflects Ghana’s long-standing commitment to Pan-Africanism, describing the country as a “cradle” of the ideology. He added that the initiative will officially take effect on Africa Day.
According to the President, the policy is expected to boost tourism, strengthen trade ties, and position Ghana as a more attractive destination for investors and entrepreneurs across the continent.
He further disclosed that since taking office in 2025, his administration has signed 23 visa waiver agreements to improve travel access for Ghanaian citizens.
The new visa-free regime places Ghana among a growing number of African countries adopting open-border policies to encourage mobility. It also aligns with continental frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which promotes intra-African trade and economic cooperation.
Ghana houses the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra, positioned as a key driver of continental integration; the visa-free policy supports AfCFTA’s goal of reducing barriers not just to trade—but to movement of people. This is critical for services, SMEs, tourism and informal cross-border trade.
Currently, this development leans toward free e-visas, not completely visa-free entry at borders meaning travellers will apply online, but won’t pay fees.
Countries including Benin, Rwanda, The Gambia, and Seychelles already offer visa-free access to African nationals, while others have adopted simplified entry systems such as e-visas and visa-on-arrival policies.
Ghana has long positioned itself as a Pan-African hub, through initiatives like the “Year of Return” in 2019, and the new visa-free policy reinforces this identity. Its success will depend on effective border security, migration management, and infrastructure readiness, including immigration systems, data tracking, and airport capacity.
Analysts project that the visa-free regime will improve intra-African relations, which is currently under 20% of Africa’s total travel; while making movement easier for entrepreneurs, creatives, and digital workers, it could potentially boosting sectors such as aviation, tourism, hospitality, trade and cross-border logistics.
FCMB Group deployed a mix of strategies, including top-line expansion and cost management, to deliver a 90.5 per cent increase in net profit for the six months to June, compared with a year earlier, the latest accounts of the bank holding company published on Monday showed.
Gross earnings climbed to N676.2 billion from N529.2 billion, with 88.8 per cent of it solely contributed by interest and discount income, setting the scene for the big earnings boost, which was partly driven by a reduction in some major expenses.
Cost-to-income ratio dropped to 41.4 per cent from 57 per cent one year prior, strengthening earnings.
FCMB Limited, the group’s commercial banking division, continued to dominate performance across key income streams and accounted for more than three-quarters of post-tax profit.
The other divisions, including Credit Direct, its consumer lending business that offers payroll-based loans to customers, are all currently profitable, contributing their share to the bottom line.
The financial institution managed to scale back interest expense by 2.7 per cent (N6.8 billion), even as interest and discount income rose by up to 31 per cent, attributable to an improved low-cost deposit mix and lower cost of funds.
That was a lever for a jump in net interest income from N207.4 billion to N356.3 billion.
In a separate statement on Monday, FCMB Group highlighted the role of its digital business – comprising payments, lending and wealth – in driving turnover growth. It noted that digital revenue, at N89.1 billion, added 13.2 per cent to gross earnings due to volume growth.
“Our first-half performance demonstrates the strength of our recapitalised and diversified business model,” said Ladi Balogun, the CEO.
“We delivered record profitability despite accelerating the normalisation of asset quality towards regulatory thresholds, reflecting our commitment to building a stronger balance sheet for long-term growth,” he added.
Net fee and commission improved by almost one-third, enabled by both a rise in fee and commission income and a drop in related expenses.
Net trading income took a blow from sharply weaker bond and treasury bills trading income, falling 65.7 per cent year on year.
READ ALSO: Aradel, NEM, FCMB Group top stock pick this week
Likewise, impairment losses quickened to N85.9 billion from N36.2 billion, as the provision for other losses, apart from those on loans and advances, surged 2,427.6 per cent to N48.1 billion.
Profit before tax roughly doubled to N157.3 billion, while profit for the period stood at N139.9 billion, up from N73.4 billion in the same period last year.
Mr Balogun assured that return on equity will surpass 25 per cent this year, compared with 21.1 per cent for the financial year 2025.
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