Kenya Joins South Africa and More as 18 African Nations Are Considering a Schengen Style Visa to Boost Regional Tourism

Written By: Jishnoo Banerjee

Jishnoo Banerjee

A published author with over 9 years of experience in writing, poetry, and novel creation. Starting out on social media, Jishnoo gained recognition for engaging content in both English and Bengali. With a strong background as a news content writer, Jishnoo now contributes to a prestigious global travel magazine. Known for blending creative writing with journalism, the work seamlessly combines artistic expression with insightful reporting across different platforms.

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August 21, 2026 18:40 GMT+5:30

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Kenya joins South Africa and more as 18 African nations consider a Schengen-style visa to boost regional tourism by making cross-border travel easier, improving connectivity and supporting the African Union’s One Africa mobility vision. The growing push for visa openness aims to increase tourism, trade and business movement, with countries including Kenya, South Africa and other African markets exploring reforms that could create a more connected continental travel system.

One Africa Push Gathers Pace as Countries Ease Visa Rules and Open Borders

Africa is accelerating efforts to make cross-border travel easier for its citizens. The push forms part of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which includes the free movement of people as a major continental ambition. The latest published Africa Visa Openness Index 2025 found that 28.2% of intra-African travel scenarios were visa-free, 20.4% offered visa on arrival, while 51.1% required a visa or other authorisation before departure. Progress remains uneven, but several governments have introduced major reforms in 2026. Ghana and Togo have eased entry, Kenya has expanded exemptions from its Electronic Travel Authorisation system, and Chad has announced visa-free entry for African nationals from January 2027. Together, these changes are gradually giving the One Africa vision practical meaning.

Kenya

Kenya is an important part of the One Africa story because Nairobi is one of the continent’s largest aviation and commercial gateways. Kenya operates an Electronic Travel Authorisation system but provides exemptions for many African nationals. East African Community citizens receive particularly broad exemptions. Easier access through Nairobi can strengthen connections between African markets while supporting Kenya’s tourism, aviation, trade and conference sectors.

South Africa

South Africa will be crucial to the future of African visa liberalisation because it has one of the continent’s largest economies, busiest aviation networks and strongest tourism industries. Its immigration system remains nationality-specific, with some African passport holders receiving visa exemptions while others face additional requirements. Further liberalisation could have a major continental impact because Johannesburg and Cape Town serve as important gateways for African and international travellers.

Nigeria

Nigeria’s role is particularly important because it is one of Africa’s largest economies and most populous countries. Its membership of ECOWAS gives Nigerian citizens access to established regional free-movement arrangements. Any wider African mobility system involving Nigeria could have major implications for aviation, tourism, entertainment, investment and trade because of the country’s enormous domestic market and extensive commercial links across the continent.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe benefits from Southern Africa’s regional mobility framework and its location near major tourism markets including South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique. Easier movement can support trade and tourism, particularly because international visitors frequently combine several Southern African countries in one itinerary. Simplified border procedures could make these multi-country journeys easier while supporting Zimbabwe’s regional tourism competitiveness.

Seychelles

Seychelles remains one of Africa’s most open destinations. The Indian Ocean country does not operate a conventional visa system for visitors, although travellers must still meet immigration and travel-authorisation requirements. Its approach shows that governments can simplify entry without removing border controls. For African tourism, Seychelles provides a long-standing example of how fewer visa barriers can support international connectivity and make travel easier.

Benin

Benin has positioned itself among Africa’s more open countries for African travellers. Its approach supports the wider push towards easier movement across West Africa and can help tourism, business travel, investment and cross-border commerce. The policy also complements the African Continental Free Trade Area because deeper trade integration becomes more effective when businesspeople, workers and visitors can move more easily between participating economies.

The Gambia

The Gambia has adopted an open approach towards African travellers, strengthening its position within the continental mobility movement. Easier entry can help the tourism-dependent country attract more visitors from African markets while encouraging short holidays, family visits, conferences and business travel. The Gambia demonstrates how visa liberalisation can support both African integration and national tourism development.

Rwanda

Rwanda has become one of Africa’s strongest examples of easier continental travel. African Union citizens can obtain visas on arrival with the visa fee waived for stays of up to 30 days, while East African Community citizens receive additional free-entry arrangements. The policy supports Kigali’s position as a business and conference destination and shows how easier entry can benefit airlines, hotels, events and local businesses.

Ghana

Ghana made one of the most important African mobility moves of 2026. From 25 May 2026, African passport holders no longer have to pay visa fees when travelling to Ghana, while the country has also introduced an electronic visa platform. The reform carries strong Pan-African significance and could help Accra attract more African conferences, business travellers, leisure visitors and major international events.

Chad

Chad is preparing for a major change by abolishing entry visas for African nationals from 1 January 2027. The decision is significant because Chad sits between Central, West, North and East African corridors. Easier entry could strengthen regional travel and commerce while adding another country to the growing group backing continent-wide mobility. It also demonstrates how the One Africa concept is moving from political discussion towards national immigration policy.

Togo

Togo has removed visa requirements for African nationals for stays of up to 30 days, although travellers must continue to meet documentation and pre-arrival requirements. The change could strengthen Lomé’s position as a regional aviation, business and tourism gateway. Togo’s approach also offers a possible model for other African governments: remove conventional visa barriers while retaining digital registration and immigration screening.

Botswana

Botswana represents the regional route towards easier African movement. Southern African countries have increasingly used bilateral and regional arrangements to simplify travel between neighbouring states. These agreements matter because cross-border movement supports employment, commerce, tourism and family connections. Botswana shows how One Africa could develop gradually through stronger regional mobility systems rather than through a single continent-wide change.

Namibia

Namibia has also supported closer regional mobility in Southern Africa. Easier movement with neighbouring countries can strengthen commerce while helping tourists combine several destinations during one journey. This is particularly important in Southern Africa, where cross-border wildlife and road itineraries are common. Faster and more predictable entry procedures could help Namibia and its neighbours market the region as a connected tourism destination.

Mauritius

Mauritius has played an important role in Southern Africa’s visa-openness framework, with SADC assessments highlighting exemptions for citizens of fellow member states. Easier African access also gives Mauritius an opportunity to diversify tourism demand beyond its established long-haul markets. As African aviation connectivity improves, simpler entry could help the island attract more regional leisure, business and conference travellers.

Liberia

Liberia sits within ECOWAS, which operates one of Africa’s most established regional free-movement frameworks. Citizens of member countries benefit from regional mobility rights, making West Africa an important testing ground for deeper African integration. Liberia’s position demonstrates that One Africa does not need to begin from zero because existing regional agreements can provide foundations for a wider continental system.

Senegal

Senegal is another key member of the ECOWAS mobility framework. Dakar is an important West African aviation, tourism and commercial gateway, making regional free movement particularly valuable. Easier movement strengthens connections with neighbouring economies and demonstrates that substantial regional mobility can operate while countries retain their national borders and sovereignty.

Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire is central to West Africa’s economic network, while Abidjan is one of the region’s major commercial and aviation centres. ECOWAS mobility arrangements help connect the country with neighbouring markets and support cross-border business and travel. The existing regional framework could eventually contribute to a wider African mobility system if different regional agreements become more closely aligned.

Lesotho

Lesotho shows why smaller African countries are important to the One Africa project. Surrounded by South Africa, cross-border movement is essential for employment, commerce and everyday travel. Easier entry can also strengthen tourism by allowing visitors to combine Lesotho with wider Southern African itineraries. Better regional mobility could therefore have an immediate economic impact for the country.

One Africa vs Schengen: How Do They Compare?

Europe’s Schengen Area provides a useful comparison, but the two systems remain at very different stages. Schengen is already an integrated mobility framework, while One Africa remains a combination of national visa reforms, bilateral agreements and regional blocs.

The central difference is clear. A traveller legally inside the Schengen Area can normally cross participating countries without routine internal border checks. Africa does not yet have such a system. Instead, ECOWAS, the East African Community, SADC and national visa policies operate alongside each other. These existing regional systems could eventually become the building blocks of a broader African free-movement framework.

One Africa Moves From Vision Towards Reality

Africa is not yet borderless. More than half of intra-African travel scenarios still required some form of advance visa or authorisation when the 2025 Africa Visa Openness Index was compiled. But the direction of travel is changing. Seychelles remains highly open, Rwanda has simplified African entry, Kenya provides extensive eTA exemptions, Ghana has removed visa fees for African passport holders, Togo has abolished visas for short African visits, and Chad plans continent-wide visa-free entry from 2027. Alongside these national reforms, ECOWAS, the East African Community and SADC are strengthening regional integration. Africa remains far from having its own Schengen-style system, but the One Africa vision is becoming increasingly visible at its borders.

Kenya joins South Africa and more as 18 African nations consider a Schengen-style visa to boost regional tourism by easing cross-border travel, strengthening connectivity and supporting the One Africa vision through simpler movement for visitors and travellers.

In conclusion, Kenya joins South Africa and more as 18 African nations consider a Schengen-style visa to boost regional tourism by making cross-border travel easier, strengthening connectivity and supporting the wider One Africa vision. While Africa does not yet have a continent-wide Schengen-style system, growing visa reforms, regional agreements and mobility initiatives are creating a foundation for smoother travel between countries. As Kenya, South Africa and other nations continue exploring easier movement, the potential benefits extend beyond tourism to aviation, trade, business, cultural exchange and multi-country travel experiences. A more connected Africa could unlock new tourism routes, encourage longer visitor stays and help position the continent as a more integrated global travel destination.