Former Member of Parliament and Visa-Free Africa Campaign Lead Ras Mubarak has urged African leaders to commit to visa-free and affordable travel across the continent, describing free movement as critical to Africa’s economic integration and growth.
Speaking to BBC News Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday, December 19, Ras Mubarak said unrestricted intra-African travel would unlock economic opportunities by boosting cross-border trade, tourism, and labour mobility, ultimately strengthening revenue generation across African economies.
He commended some Southern African countries for taking practical steps to ease travel within their sub-region and encouraged others to adopt similar policies to advance continental integration.
Highlighting innovative border initiatives, Ras Mubarak cited the provision of free Wi-Fi at the Namibia–Botswana land border as a model worth replicating.
“There’s free Wi-Fi at the land border between Namibia and Botswana. This is crucial, especially for young Africans crossing into countries where roaming services or e-SIM access may not be available,” he said, adding that such facilities improve the travel experience for Africans on the move.
However, he noted that several challenges continue to hinder free movement across the continent. According to him, high visa costs and prolonged clearance processes at many African borders discourage travel and stifle economic activity.
He also raised concerns about outdated land border management systems, describing traditional manual clearance practices as archaic and a major cause of delays at entry points.
Ras Mubarak, therefore, called on African governments to modernise border infrastructure by adopting advanced technologies, including scanning systems, to enhance efficiency and reduce congestion.
Despite these challenges, Ras Mubarak remains optimistic that sustained advocacy and policy engagement will yield results.
He expressed confidence that the campaign will contribute to meaningful progress toward visa-free travel within Africa in the shortest possible time.