DIANNA GAMES: Political will is weak to make travel in Africa cheaper and easier
ALIKO Dangote, Africa’s richest man, is fond of banging the visa drum. He uses many public platforms to urge leaders to make it easier for Africans to travel around their own continent.Last week was no exception. Dangote, in a television interview in Nigeria with CNBC, said he needed 38 visas to travel across Africa. And it was not always straightforward to get them, he said."You go to a country that is looking for investment, that particular country will give you a runaround just to get a visa," he said."You have to know somebody who is big in that country to call somebody. They are giving you visas as if it is a favour."Dangote’s comments will resonate with many people who have battled to get visas timeously for multiple business trips. Only 13 African countries allow other Africans to enter without a visa or give visas on arrival.South Africans often complain about the hoops they have to jump through to get visas for other African states, but in fact, SA is part of the problem. A...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.