Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced Tuesday that Ghana will implement an electronic visa system by 2026, aiming to streamline entry processes for investors, technology professionals, and business travelers while positioning the country as a more accessible destination for international commerce.
Speaking at the MOBEX Africa Tech Expo and Innovation Conference 2025 in Accra, Ablakwa described the e-visa initiative as part of broader efforts to modernize Ghana’s diplomatic services for the digital age. The system will allow applicants to complete visa applications online, reducing processing times and eliminating the need for in-person visits to Ghanaian embassies or consulates in many cases.
The announcement comes as Ghana seeks to attract foreign investment and expand its role in regional technology development. By simplifying visa procedures, the government hopes to remove a longstanding barrier that business leaders have identified as complicating rapid commercial engagement with Ghanaian partners and opportunities.
Ablakwa outlined additional digital initiatives underway at the Foreign Ministry, including virtual consular services for Ghanaians living abroad and remote diplomatic engagements designed to extend the ministry’s reach while controlling operational costs. These measures reflect recognition that traditional diplomatic service delivery models, built around physical presence and paper documentation, increasingly struggle to meet the needs of globally mobile populations and fast-moving business environments.
The minister emphasized the importance of Africa seizing opportunities in technology and leveraging digitalization for transformation during his address to the conference, which operated under the theme “Resetting Africa’s Digital Identity and Sovereignty.” He noted that initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area will depend on robust digital connectivity to realize their potential for facilitating cross-border commerce.
Ghana’s e-visa system will join similar platforms already operating across parts of Africa, where countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda have implemented electronic visa systems to varying degrees of success. These systems typically allow travelers to submit applications and supporting documents online, pay fees electronically, and receive visa approvals that can be printed or stored digitally for presentation at ports of entry.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is collaborating with counterparts across Africa to reduce barriers to cross-border digital services and enable mutual recognition of digital credentials, Ablakwa said. This coordination addresses concerns that fragmented approaches to digital documentation could create new complications even as countries move away from paper-based systems.
For investors and business professionals, the e-visa system promises to eliminate delays associated with scheduling appointments at embassies, traveling to consular offices, and waiting for physical document processing. Technology entrepreneurs attending conferences or exploring partnerships could potentially secure visa approvals within days rather than weeks, assuming the system functions as designed.
The timing of Ghana’s e-visa announcement coincides with the government’s broader push to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure and expand technology-driven services. The Bank of Ghana has been advancing its eCedi pilot program for central bank digital currency, while mobile money transactions have surged to process more than GH¢3 trillion annually as digital payments become embedded in everyday commerce.
However, successful implementation of the e-visa system will require addressing technical and operational challenges that have complicated similar projects elsewhere. Ensuring system security to protect applicant data, maintaining reliable connectivity for users across different regions, training consular staff on new procedures, and integrating the platform with existing immigration databases all present hurdles that Ghana’s Foreign Ministry will need to navigate.
The effectiveness of e-visa systems also depends on clear communication about requirements, transparent processing procedures, and consistent decision-making that gives applicants confidence in the system’s integrity. Countries that have launched electronic visa platforms but maintained opaque approval processes or unpredictable turnaround times have found that digitalization alone doesn’t necessarily solve underlying problems with visa administration.
For Ghana, the stakes extend beyond convenience for individual travelers. The country’s economic development strategy increasingly emphasizes attracting foreign direct investment in manufacturing, technology, and services sectors where Ghana’s relatively stable governance and educated workforce provide competitive advantages. Cumbersome visa procedures create friction that can steer potential investors toward competing destinations with simpler entry processes.
The MOBEX Africa conference where Ablakwa made his announcement has evolved into a significant platform for showcasing technological innovation and fostering dialogue between government and industry across the continent. Now in its tenth year, the event brings together policymakers, technology executives, and entrepreneurs to explore how digital transformation can drive economic growth and improve service delivery.
Ghana’s participation in continental discussions about digital sovereignty reflects awareness that technology adoption raises questions about data control, infrastructure ownership, and whether African institutions can build systems serving African interests. The Foreign Ministry’s collaboration with regional partners on digital credential recognition suggests attempts to ensure Ghana’s e-visa system fits within broader frameworks rather than creating an isolated platform.
The 2026 target date gives the ministry roughly 14 months to design, test, and deploy the e-visa system while training staff and communicating changes to potential users. Whether this timeline proves realistic depends on factors including procurement processes for technology partners, integration with immigration systems, and capacity to address technical issues that inevitably emerge during implementation.
For diplomatic missions abroad, the shift to e-visas could reduce consular workload related to visa processing, potentially freeing staff to focus on other aspects of Ghana’s diplomatic engagement. However, missions will still need capacity to assist applicants encountering difficulties with the online system and handle cases requiring additional scrutiny beyond automated processing.
As Ghana moves toward implementing its electronic visa system, the initiative joins a broader pattern of African governments seeking to leverage digital technologies for improved service delivery. Success will require not just launching a functional platform but maintaining reliable operations, protecting user data, ensuring equitable access across different populations, and delivering the efficiency gains that justify the investment in new systems.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
