The Togolese government says it is providing a legal framework for a visa-free entry policy announced in April, reinforcing Lomé’s ambition as a continental hub.
What had initially been presented as an immediately effective measure in April has now been enshrined in regulation.
The Togolese Council of Ministers, meeting on Tuesday under the chairmanship of President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, adopted a decree exempting citizens of African states from entry visa requirements, giving formal legal backing to the policy of openness.
The decree establishes a 30-day visa exemption regime for any African national holding a valid passport or recognised travel document, in line with the announcement previously made by the Minister of Security and Civil Protection, Colonel Calixte Batossie Madjoulba.
However, the text maintains immigration controls and formalities, as well as the authority of competent services to refuse entry or limit the stay of any individual deemed a threat to public order, national security or public health. The measure may also be suspended for any country in the event of a threat to Togo’s fundamental interests.
The pre-arrival notification requirement via the government platform voyage.gouv.tg, submitted at least 24 hours before arrival, also remains in force.
With this decree, Lomé joins a still limited group of African countries that have institutionalised visa-free entry for African citizens, alongside Rwanda, the Seychelles, The Gambia, Benin and Ghana.
According to the 10th edition of the African Visa Openness Index published by the African Development Bank (AfDB), only 28.2% of intra-African travel routes were visa-free as of end-2025.
The Togolese government presents the reform as a commitment to pan-Africanism and regional integration, in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with the broader aim of positioning Togo as a regional hub for business, tourism and dialogue.
AC/Sf/lb/as/APA