Ghana has set the tone on visa-free Africa. On Monday 18 August, Ras Moubarak, the former Ghanaian MP for Kumbungu, officially launched the Visa-Free Africa campaign, with an inspiring slogan ‘A continent without borders or visas by 2030’. This unprecedented pan-African initiative made its first stop on Tuesday 19 August in Lomé, Togo.

Starting from Black Star Square, a symbol of Pan-African struggles in Accra, Ghana, the movement will travel 40,000 kilometres across 39 African countries in 163 days to advocate for a more integrated Africa, in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

In Lomé, the organisers presented their motivations to the local press. “We want to engage in open dialogue with African leaders, civil society and citizens to build a consensus around a visa-free Africa,” said Ras Moubarak.

The campaign is supported by the Ghanaian government, via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as by private and non-profit organisations. Following Togo, the journey will continue to Benin and Nigeria, before moving on to Central, Southern and Eastern Africa.

While some countries have already lifted or relaxed visa restrictions, many remain cautious. Supporters of Visa-Free Africa argue that removing these barriers would boost economic, academic and cultural exchanges, as well as strengthening a sense of continental unity.

Through this initiative, Ras Moubarak aims to revive the spirit of Pan-Africanism and realise Kwame Nkrumah’s vision of a united, free Africa without borders.