Africa’s pursuit of easier movement for its citizens took center stage on December 12, 2025, during a high-profile policy dialogue in Abidjan. Co-hosted by the African Development Bank and the African Union Commission, the event brought together private sector actors, civil society, and development partners to explore the role of freer movement in boosting trade, generating employment, and fostering regional integration. The gathering also marked a decade of the Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI), a key tool measuring countries’ openness to travelers from across the continent, underscoring the progress achieved and challenges ahead.

Nnenna Nwabufo, Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery at the African Development Bank, opened the discussions, urging African governments to translate political commitments into actionable visa reforms. She stated, "Over a decade of evidence shows that visa openness can be a deliberate development choice, strengthening trade, tourism, investment, and regional confidence." Speakers widely echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that reform pace is largely dictated by political will.

While acknowledging security and capacity concerns, participants argued that these are often cited to delay reforms. A recurring theme highlighted the gap between Africa’s integration ambitions and the day-to-day experiences of travelers and businesses. Ladislas Nze Bekale, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AUC to Cote D'Ivoire, lauded the progress over the past decade but stressed the urgency for faster action to achieve a people-centered single African market. Trust and cooperation among nations, he noted, are as essential as procedural reforms in realizing mobility goals.

In a virtual address, Professor Melaku Desta of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) affirmed that a more open Africa is feasible but highlighted slow political momentum. He commended the African Development Bank for its research and endorsed the ‘Africazone vision’ in the 2025 AVOI report. Despite the adoption of the African Union Protocol on Free Movement eight years ago, only four member states have ratified it, signaling continued political and implementation challenges.

Dr. Joy Kategekwa, Director of the Regional Integration Coordination Office at the Bank, acknowledged tangible gains in visa openness while emphasizing that progress still falls short of Africa’s ambitions. Participants symbolically signed a wall of commitment, signaling dedication to a visa-free Africa. Dr. Kategekwa remarked, "This is where the next chapter begins. It starts with you," underscoring the leadership needed to accelerate reforms.

The official launch of the 2025 AVOI report occurred on December 18, 2025, at the Ninth Pan-African Forum on Migration in Cape Town, South Africa. Findings highlighted a continental average score increase to 0.448, with the ten most open countries averaging 0.890 and the top twenty reaching 0.781. Visa-free travel for Africans rose from 20% in 2016 to 28% in 2025, and e-visa availability expanded from nine countries to 31, reflecting strides in digitalization and border management. However, visa-on-arrival access fell from 28% to 20%, and pre-travel visa requirements eased modestly from 55% to 51%, indicating areas for further improvement.

Notable improvements were recorded in Kenya, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, DRC, Botswana, Mali, Egypt, and Tanzania, while Rwanda and The Gambia achieved full openness over the decade. Countries such as Kenya, Ghana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi also made significant strides, demonstrating Africa’s commitment to advancing regional integration through progressively freer movement policies.