Despite his massive business interests across Africa, Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote experiences significant travel difficulties that European passport holders largely avoid.
During the recent Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, he revealed that he has to apply for 35 different visas, VisaGuide.World reports.
Easier for Europeans to Travel to Africa Than for Africans
Dangote’s frustrations underscore the broader issue of intra-African travel barriers. The disparity in visa requirements between African and European passport holders is particularly galling for many.
Dangote emphasized this when he told the French executive, Patrick Pouyanné, that he does not need 35 visas in a French passport, giving him more free rein in Africa than he does.
In this regard, Dangote commended Rwanda, which eliminated visas for all African nationals last year, along with Benin, Gambia and Seychelles, which also offer visa-free access to Africans. However, many African countries still impose visa requirements on each other, often accompanied by discriminatory practices, hostility and exorbitant fees.
African Nations Face Humiliating Experiences With Visa Requirements
According to CNN, the Nigerian travel director Tayo Aina also experienced such a case. He recounted his humiliating experience at Ethiopian immigration after being forced to provide a stool sample to prove he had not ingested drugs. Besides this, he has also faced detention in Kenya and South Africa because of his Nigerian passport.
It was my most humbling experience to travel within Africa.
In response to all the bad experiences, Aina bought a passport from St. Kitts and Nevis for $150,000 to facilitate travel. The African Union aims to eliminate travel restrictions for Africans by promoting visa-free travel as part of the African Continental Free Trade Area. However, progress has been slow.
Sometimes, you arrive in a country, and the visa-on-arrival policy has changed mid-flight, resulting in deportations.
While regional travel within Africa is more accessible, challenges persist for long-distance travel. East African Community countries offer visa-free travel within the bloc, and most of the Southern and West African regions are open to their nationals.
However, policy changes may introduce new obstacles. For example, Kenyan passport holders now face a $215 e-Visa fee for Nigeria, replacing the previous $25 visa on arrival.
Kenyan President William Ruto promised to eliminate visas for visitors traveling to the East African nation. As a result, he launched an Electronic Travel Authorization, a process similar to a visa application, which costs $30 and takes several days for approval. Moreover, applicants often need more documentation or clear reasons.