Nigeria misses out, Ghana, Gambia enter Malawi’s list of 79 countries for visa-free travel

Malawi has announced visa-free travel for nationals of 79 countries across Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands.

Lazarus Chakwera, president of Malawi declared that under the new immigration amendment, visas for entry into Malawi will be required for all countries excluding Australia, other countries in North America including Canada and the US, and most European countries including Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Ireland and the UK. Russia, China, Israel and some other Asian countries are also exempted from visa travel.

Ghana, Gambia, and Sierra Leone joined the list of African countries to be granted visa-free entry in Malawi with the restriction earlier lifted for Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. However, Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy is left out.

“This monumental decision isn’t just about visas; it’s about unleashing the untapped potential of our beloved Malawi and inviting the world to experience its wonders first-hand,” Vera Kamtukule, Malawi’s tourism Minister told local media.

The visa waiver extends to nationals from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) except for countries that require visas from Malawians.

The law also acknowledges holders of United Nations (UN), African Union (AU) and African Development Bank (ADB) Laissez-Passer whilst on official business, and all diplomats and government officials.

Malawi joins a long list of African countries to ease visa restrictions to boost cross-border travel and strengthen bilateral ties. Recently, Kenya opened its border to the world, eliminating visa requirements for all travellers beginning January 2024 as a measure to embrace globalization and drive socio-economic development.

In November 2023, Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda also announced that all Africans will be able to travel visa-free to Rwanda to encourage free movement of people and trade, similar to the Schengen zone in Europe.

Rwanda, Benin, The Gambia and Seychelles remain the only African countries to offer visa-free travel to all global visitors.

Nigeria is one of the countries that missed out on the visa, which means that Nigerians seeking to visit Malawi for tourism or trade purposes will need to apply for an eVisa which can be collected upon entry into the country.

Department of Immigration, Republic of Malawi, records that the cost of obtaining visas to Malawi ranges from $5o to $250 depending on the duration of stay. Transit visas cost $50 and single-entry visas go for $75. It costs $15o to get a multiple-entry visa for six months while multiple-entry visas for twelve months sell for $250.

As per the new law, the validity of multiple entry visas in Malawi (6 months and 12 months) shall reciprocate to the validity of multiple entry visas in the corresponding country.

Despite the waiver, there are worries that the cost of travelling could still be a burden, as flight tickets to Malawi are less affordable in comparison to their other West African counterparts.

An inquiry on TripAdvisor shows that the cheapest flight ticket for a seat in economy from Lagos in Nigeria to Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital costs $1000, which could go up to $1300, 52% more than what AFCON fans paid for a one-way economy flight ticket to Abidjan in Ivory Coast which, according to Tripadvisor goes for just over $660 from Lagos.

Malawi prides itself on tourism. Described as the “Warm Heart Of Africa,” Malawi’s combination of lakes, landscape, wildlife and culture draws tourists globally. The southern African country, home to the third largest lake in Africa, however, strives to recover from the blow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before the outbreak, tourism receipts rose up to $62 million, 0.56 percent of gross national product. However, in 2020, receipts plummeted due to the pandemic, and of the $62 million in 2019, only $35 million billion remained, a 44 percent decrease, according to World Bank.

Malawi hopes that the new visa-free policy will revive the ailing sector and open up the country to new trade and investment opportunities.