Crossing Africa Can Cost More Than Crossing Oceans

By Aksah Italo
Published on 12/18/25

Flying within Africa can be surprisingly costly. A direct ticket from Dakar, Senegal, to Nairobi, Kenya can cost between 1 100 US dollars and 1 300 US dollars. By contrast, taking the same journey via a European hub like Paris, essentially leaving the continent and coming back, can cost slightly less, around US dollars 1 030 to US dollars 1 050, according to a recent International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) case study. In other words, it can be cheaper to go outside Africa and return than to fly directly within it.

Most agree that Africa is a continent brimming with economic potential. Yet regulatory and structural barriers continue to slow the movement of entrepreneurs, investors, students and professionals whose mobility could unlock deeper regional trade and growth.

A passport is more than a travel document. It signals a nation’s identity, its global openness, and the ease with which its citizens can engage with the world. In Africa, where regional integration has long been a cornerstone of Pan-African aspirations, visa freedom has become a litmus test for economic ambition and political will.

Across the continent, progress has been inconsistent. While some African states are embracing visa-free entry as a strategy for economic expansion, others continue to impose stringent travel restrictions driven by security fears, administrative limitations, and revenue dependence.

According to the Africa Visa Openness Index 2024, only 28 percent of intra-African travel scenarios are visa‑free, up from 20 percent in 2016. About 25 percent allow visas on arrival, while nearly half of all travel scenarios still require a visa before departure, underscoring persistent barriers to free movement for Africans.

These visa barriers are more than an inconvenience, they are economic obstacles. African entrepreneurs often struggle to attend trade fairs, pitch products, or negotiate deals across borders due to lengthy and costly visa procedures. Students pursuing scholarships abroad face similar hurdles. Investors may be discouraged from exploring opportunities where travel is unpredictable or burdensome.

Henley & Partners’ mobility research consistently shows that countries with greater travel freedom experience stronger economic linkages, higher investment flows, and more opportunities for citizens to participate in global markets. Conversely, limited visa freedom often correlates with reduced competitiveness and fewer international business opportunities.

Some African countries have recognized the economic value of openness and have begun dismantling visa restrictions.

Ghana recently removed all visa requirements for African nationals, joining a growing list of countries, including Rwanda, Seychelles, The Gambia, and Benin, that have adopted visa-free entry for all Africans.

The case of Seychelles is often cited as evidence of the economic upside.

Hardi Yakubu, movement coordinator at Africans Rising, says most countries close-off their borders due to early fears that openness would invite insecurity or reduce visa-related revenue .

He said that fear is unfounded. According to Hardi, when Seychelles removed visa requirements, tourism arrivals grew by an estimated seven percent, boosting revenue and helping the country transition from a lower-middle-income economy to a higher-middle-income one. 

“It came with the economic benefits to the country,” he said.

The African Union’s long-standing dream of free movement championed by generations of Pan-African leaders finally seemed within reach when the AU adopted the Free Movement Protocol (FMP) in 2018. Yet only a handful of countries have ratified it, leaving implementation slow and fragmented.

According to the 2024 Africa Visa Openness Index, 26 countries, 44 percent of the continent, now offer e‑visas, up from just nine in 2016. Since last year, 17 countries have improved their openness scores. Across Africa, 28 percent of travellers can move without a visa, 25 percent can obtain one on arrival, and 47 percent still need to secure a visa before travelling, highlighting the persistent fragmentation in regional mobility.

This fragmentation creates a patchwork system where the ability to travel depends more on nationality than shared continental identity. Even where reforms exist, implementation often introduces new complications.

Many African governments have begun digitizing their immigration systems, launching e-visas or electronic travel authorizations. While intended to streamline travel, these systems often add fresh layers of bureaucracy.

Several countries in 2024 removed visa-on-arrival privileges and instead required travelers to apply online before boarding a flight. For citizens with limited access to stable internet, online payment systems, or international banking cards, the digital shift becomes a barrier rather than a solution.

In other cases, ETA systems were introduced without adequate public communication or harmonization across ministries, leading to confusion among airlines and border officials. Travelers have found themselves stranded or denied boarding due to last-minute policy changes.

These issues highlight a broader structural challenge: Africa’s digital reforms often outpace the infrastructure and administrative coordination needed to support them, undermining the very convenience they aim to deliver.

Security remains one of the most cited reasons for maintaining visa restrictions. Ongoing conflicts in parts of the Sahel, Horn of Africa, and Great Lakes region have led some governments to tighten borders further, restricting mobility for legitimate travelers alongside potential security threats.

Conflict also displaces millions of Africans every year, complicating cross-border movement. While official policies may appear open on paper, the lived experience of travelers particularly those from conflict-affected countries can differ significantly. Lengthy interrogations, higher rejection rates, or additional documentation requirements create invisible barriers that discourage movement even when visas are technically available.

Hardi acknowledges these concerns but argues they are often overstated. “Security infrastructure can be strengthened without closing borders,” he says.

Africa’s aviation sector critical for business, tourism, and trade is mired in high operational costs, restrictive bilateral air agreements, and limited competition. Many African airlines operate under protectionist frameworks that prevent foreign carriers from entering their markets freely.

In the 2024/25 annual report, Ethiopian Airlines, the continent’s biggest airline carried about 19 million passengers, up from 17 million in the previous year. Close to 15.2 million were international travelers, showing the airline’s role in cross-border connectivity.

Air travel remains expensive, making cross-border business unaffordable for many Africans. Limited connectivity makes visa restrictions even more burdensome, since travelers endure costly flights and lengthy layovers only to face complicated entry processes.

This stands in stark contrast to integrated air markets like the European Union, where liberalized skies have dramatically reduced ticket costs and expanded mobility. Africa’s struggles mirror those in Latin America and parts of Asia, where protectionist aviation policies hinder connectivity and economic integrating.

Reports show that Africa’s collective GDP in 2024 was estimated at 3.1 trillion US dollars, supporting a population of 1.4 billion people. Yet wealth remains concentrated, with only five countries, Algeria, South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Egypt, holding the continent’s biggest revenue shares.

South Africa leads with a GDP of 373.23 billion US dollars, followed by Egypt at 347.9 billion US dollars, and Ethiopia ranks fifth at 205.13 . The composition of these economies differs widely, from South Africa’s diversified finance and manufacturing sectors to Ethiopia’s agriculture-driven economy.

Economists argue that greater mobility could help reduce this concentration, allowing smaller economies to attract tourism, investment, and skilled labor.

UNCTAD reports show African economies are increasingly vulnerable to global price shocks, supply chain disruptions, and demand fluctuations risks intensified by over-dependence on external markets and commodities. Stronger intra-African mobility and trade could create buffers against such external volatility.

Visa restrictions are not merely administrative barriers, they are economic walls blocking the continent’s ability to build resilience through integration.

Despite clear evidence of the economic benefits, visa restrictions persist, driven by revenue dependence, security concerns, political caution, administrative limitations, and protectionist policies.

But experts argue that the long-term economic benefits outweigh these concerns.

“African countries lose far more by restricting movement than they gain through visa fees,” Hardi says.

The push for visa openness is growing with promising trends, More countries adopting e-visas (despite growing pains). Increased number of bilateral visa waivers.

Rising political momentum for regional blocs like ECOWAS and the East African Community (EAC), which already enjoy high mobility levels internally.

Successful economic models in visa-free pioneers such as Seychelles, Rwanda, and Benin demonstrate the potential benefits of freer movement. Yet achieving a truly borderless Africa requires more than policy announcements. It calls for coordinated digital infrastructure, public awareness campaigns to support new systems, and harmonized regional immigration standards to ensure that reforms translate into real, practical mobility across the continent.