- At least 24 African countries have transitioned to the electronic visa (e-Visa) system, with many more expected in the coming years.
More than 20 African countries have shifted from the old visa systems to e-Visa, which offers significant advantages, including convenience, affordability, enhanced security, and a user-friendly experience due to its straightforwardness in terms of application.
Electronic Visa (e-Visa) also provides easy data collection by the government, flexibility for modern travelers, and reduced documentation as compared to the traditional method, which required applicants to appear before the consular to provide personal details, which was also akin to time wastage.
Gabon and Kenya were the earliest adopters of e-visa almost a decade ago. Gabon switched to e-visa in March 2015, while Kenya did the same on September 1st, 2015.
However, Kenya later transitioned to Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) in January 1st, 2024, when it announced that it would replace the visa requirement with an ETA for all foreign visitors except for most nationals of the East African Community (EAC) countries.
Kenya’s eTA does not, however, guarantee admissibility, as foreigners from 47 African countries are still required to produce visas. Kenya was ranked 46th with 0.113, while Gabon was ranked 42nd with a score of 0.170 by the African Visa Openness Index 2024.
Uganda has as well been offering an e-Visa since 2016, allowing travellers and especially tourists to apply through their online portal with ease. At least nationals from 21 African countries do not need a visa to visit Uganda.
Morocco introduced an electronic visa program in 2022, aimed at simplifying accessibility for tourists and travellers from specific countries. Egypt, on the other hand, launched it’s e-Visa program in 2017 and is available for eligible countries to apply before their visit.
Nigeria is yet to make its e-Visa available, as it was speculated around 2020, but there is no definitive confirmation of its implementation. South Sudan is also yet to launch its electronic visa program, with no specific timeline disclosed, though according to AVOI, South Sudan and Nigeria are among the 26 African countries running an e-Visa system.
