Cross-border trade is crucial to the continent’s development – and Africa needs more of it. However, intra-continental investment and business is unlikely to take place if countries’ borders remain closed to each other.

Consider this: it is in fact easier for North Americans to travel within African countries than it is for Africans themselves.

A report by the African Development Bank (AfDB) shows that the latter need visas to enter 55% of countries on the continent, while North Americans need visas for just 45%. And while 35% of African states offer North Americans visas on arrival, only 25% do so for Africans.

According to a Quartz Africa report, just 20% of the continent’s nations do not require Africans to obtain a visa. One of those is Seychelles, which the AfDB has ranked number one in terms of visa-openness policies.

16 February 2016
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