Africa is a stunning continent, rich in natural beauty, diverse cultures, and breathtaking landscapes. However, traveling within Africa as an African can come with its fair share of challenges. It’s ironic, isn’t it? You’d think traveling within your own continent would be simpler, but that’s far from the case. One major issue is that traveling within Africa is surprisingly expensive. A 2013 World Bank report found airfare within the continent is about 50% more expensive than in similar regions worldwide. In fact, flying between African countries often costs more than flying from Africa to Europe or Asia, even though the distances are shorter.
Travel packages that include multiple African destinations can be pricey too—round-trip tickets alone can double the cost of the entire package. Alternatives like rail or road travel are limited, with unreliable networks and poor roads making options like buses a tough choice. Taxes on air travel in Africa are also higher than in other continents, averaging $64 per passenger compared to $30 in Europe or the Middle East. On top of this, Africa lacks a unified aviation market, forcing airlines to negotiate separately with each country, leading to inconsistent fares and rules. While initiatives like the Open Skies Treaty, also known as the Single African Air Transport Market, were launched to address these issues, little progress has been made since its announcement in 2018.
Visa requirements can be a real headache. By 2023, only 28% of African routes allowed visa-free travel for Africans, up from 20% in 2016, according to the Visa Openness in Africa Report. Back in 2016, the African Union announced plans to introduce an African passport by 2020. The idea was to make travel across Africa easier, allowing citizens to visit other African countries without needing a visa. The passport was first given to diplomats and African Union officials, with plans to make it available to all African citizens once the right laws were in place.
Fast forward to today, and the passport still hasn’t been launched. Security concerns and protectionist attitudes among African nations have slowed progress, and the AU hasn’t provided any updates on when—or if—it’s happening. But even if the passport were introduced, it wouldn’t guarantee visa-free travel unless individual countries fully implement it. For example, in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, where countries already share a common passport, some nations still don’t follow all the agreed protocols, making travel less seamless than intended.
The 2018 Visa Openness Report shows open borders bring big benefits. In Africa, 18 of the 20 most visa-open countries improved their rankings on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index and saw growth in travel, tourism, and investments. For example, Rwanda’s removal of travel restrictions doubled visitor numbers and increased conference tourism. Traveling within Africa as an African shouldn’t be this complicated. As the continent continues to develop and grow, governments and organizations need to work toward making travel more accessible and affordable for its own citizens. Every African deserves the opportunity to explore and appreciate the incredible beauty and diversity their continent has to offer.
