…visa-free for stays of up to 30 days
The Togolese government has eliminated entry visa requirements for all African citizens, less than 24 hours after Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, publicly criticised the host nation’s border restrictions at a continental trade summit.
The policy shift follows an opening-day address on Monday, May 18, 2026, at the Biashara Afrika 2026 forum in Lomé. Oduwole, speaking in her capacity as the Chair of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Council of Ministers, abandoned conventional diplomatic pleasantries to detail a border denial that occurred the previous evening, highlighting the persistent friction facing intra-African business travel.
Two West African business executives holding valid ECOWAS passports from Nigeria and Ghana were denied entry at the Lomé airport because their flight had originated from Europe.
Immigration authorities required the travelers to purchase 24-hour visas on secondary European passports they happened to carry.
The operational bottleneck had immediate capital implications for the host country. “One of them, an investor in the Financial Services sector with business in Nigeria and Ghana, said to me that he would not consider investing here,” Oduwole said.
“We had not yet left the airport, and his investment decision was already concluded”.
Stating that Africa cannot trade at the margins of the global economy while neglecting trade within its own borders, the Minister challenged governments to match integration rhetoric with political execution.
She noted that the ease of movement for African people remains a recurring grievance raised by top-tier continental investors, including Aliko Dangote and Abdulsamad Rabiu.
The open critique, delivered at a forum meant to catalyze the AfCFTA, placed immediate pressure on the host country’s administration.
The response from the Togolese state followed the next day. On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Togo’s Ministry of Security (Ministère de la Sécurité) issued a directive to dismantle the country’s visa regime for travelers from the continent.
Under the new regulatory framework, citizens of African states holding valid national passports can enter Togo visa-free for stays of up to 30 days. To manage border logistics and security oversight, travelers must complete a digital declaration on the official platform at least 24 hours before arrival to obtain a travel slip.
The ministry stated the reform aims to strengthen African integration and enhance mobility, opportunity, and cooperation.
The rapid regulatory adjustment highlights how private-sector friction and public accountability are accelerating the implementation timeline of the AfCFTA ahead of the Council of Ministers’ next meeting in Abuja this June.
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