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Burkina Faso has announced the removal of visa fees for all African nationals, in a move it says is aimed at boosting free movement, trade, and cultural exchange across the continent.
“From now on, any citizen from an African country wishing to go to Burkina Faso will not pay any amount to cover visa fees,” Security Minister Mahamadou Sana said after a cabinet meeting chaired by military leader Capt Ibrahim Traoré on Thursday.
While visitors will still need to submit an online visa application for approval, the government says the process will now be free of charge.
Burkina Faso joins Ghana, Rwanda, and Kenya in easing travel rules for African citizens, part of a broader African Union push for visa-free movement.
Citizens of West African countries already enjoy visa-free access under Ecowas rules, but this may change after Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from the bloc earlier this year.
Capt Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup, often presents himself as a Pan-Africanist champion while criticising the West. His decision to drop visa fees is seen as part of that effort, though his government has faced criticism for its handling of dissent and the worsening Islamist insurgency, which now controls about 40% of the country.
The junta said the measure would not only reflect Burkina Faso’s Pan-African ideals but also promote tourism, culture, and the country’s visibility abroad.
