Accra, Ghana – April 18, 2026 – Ghana will introduce a fully electronic visa (e-Visa) system in May 2026, the government has announced, marking a major step toward modernising its immigration processes and enhancing border management.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the new digital platform will enable travellers to apply for visas online from anywhere in the world, significantly reducing processing times and improving the efficiency of consular services.

Visa-Free Era for Africans

The e-Visa rollout coincides with a bold policy shift announced by President John Dramani Mahama. Starting on Africa Day, May 25, 2026, citizens from across the African continent will enjoy visa-free access to Ghana and will not be required to pay visa application fees.

“This initiative forms part of Ghana’s wider strategy to promote intra-African mobility, boost tourism, and position the country as a key gateway for travel and investment in West Africa,” Minister Ablakwa stated.

Enhanced Security Features

Beyond convenience, the e-Visa system is designed to strengthen national security. The platform will be fully integrated with Ghana’s Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record (API-PNR) systems, as well as international security databases.

“The new e-visa system will allow our officers to verify applicant information and ensure appropriate vetting without compromising national security,” Ablakwa explained.

This data integration is expected to enable more robust background checks while facilitating smoother travel for legitimate visitors.

Continental Alignment

The move aligns with broader efforts under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework to ease visa restrictions, facilitate trade, and promote freer movement of people across the continent. Ghana aims to lead by example in removing barriers to intra-African travel and economic cooperation.

Officials believe the combination of the e-Visa platform and the upcoming visa-free regime for Africans will significantly boost tourism arrivals, attract more investors, and reinforce Ghana’s reputation as one of West Africa’s most progressive and welcoming nations.

The e-Visa platform is scheduled to go live in May 2026, just weeks before the historic visa-free policy takes effect.

There’s a particular sound that follows Kuli Kuli down Ghana’s streets—the sharp, satisfying crunch that announces its presence long before the first bite.

Made from roasted groundnuts pressed into golden sticks or small clusters, this humble snack has earned a permanent place in everyday eating across the country.

Kuli Kuli carries the deep, nutty aroma of roasted peanuts, often enriched with a subtle kick of spice depending on who prepares it. Its texture is firm and crisp, breaking cleanly between the teeth and leaving behind a rich, earthy flavour that lingers. While simple in ingredients, it delivers a depth that makes it hard to eat just one piece.

Across Ghana, Kuli Kuli is more than a snack—it’s part of the rhythm of daily life. It shows up in woven baskets at lorry stations, in transparent bowls on street corners, and in the hands of schoolchildren heading home.

Traders often pair it with roasted groundnuts or sell it alongside other street favourites, making it an easy grab for commuters, workers, and travellers.

For many, it is a quiet companion during long journeys or busy afternoons. It is filling enough to take the edge off hunger, yet light enough to eat on the move. Visitors to Ghana often discover it unexpectedly, handed over in paper wraps or sold from roadside stalls where it sits alongside familiar street foods.

Beyond its taste and convenience, Kuli Kuli also carries a health appeal rooted in its primary ingredient—groundnuts. Rich in protein and healthy fats, it has long been considered a wholesome snack in many households, especially in communities where peanuts are a dietary staple.

Simple, durable, and deeply familiar, Kuli Kuli remains one of those foods that tells a story of resourcefulness and everyday Ghanaian life—one crunchy bite at a time.

The salt-heavy breeze of the Gulf of Guinea tangles with the scent of woodsmoke and freshly grilled tilapia as you step into the labyrinthine alleys of Jamestown.

Above, the scarlet and white stripes of the iconic 1930s lighthouse pierce a hazy blue sky, standing as a silent sentry over a neighborhood that refused to be forgotten. To walk these streets is to feel the heartbeat of Accra—raw, rhythmic, and fiercely soulful.

Here, the past doesn’t sit behind glass; it lives in the peeling paint of colonial storefronts and the vibrant mural-lined walls that serve as the community’s open-air canvas.

The geography of Jamestown is a visual timeline of Ghana’s evolution. At the edge of the Atlantic, the Ga Mashie community thrives around the bustling fishing harbor.

From the vantage point of the old harbor walls, you can watch hundreds of hand-painted wooden pirogues, draped in colorful flags, bobbing on the surf as fishermen haul in the morning’s catch. Just a stone’s throw away, the somber, whitewashed walls of Ussher Fort and James Fort provide a stark architectural contrast.

These structures, remnants of Dutch and British colonial presence, offer a heavy but necessary reflection on the transatlantic slave trade, their dungeons echoing with centuries of history that shaped the modern world.

A walking tour here is an exercise in sensory immersion. One moment, you are navigating the narrow “Brazil House” lane, learning about the Tabom people—formerly enslaved Afro-Brazilians who returned to their ancestral home—and the next, you are surrounded by the chaotic energy of a street-side boxing gym.

Jamestown is the undisputed pugilist capital of West Africa; the rhythmic thud of gloves against heavy bags is as much a part of the local soundtrack as the highlife music drifting from corner bars.

Visitors shouldn’t miss the chance to climb the lighthouse for a panoramic view that captures the duality of the city: the old colonial footprint dissolving into the rising glass skyscrapers of the modern business district.

Jamestown demands that you slow down and engage. It is a place where a simple “Agooo” (the local way of asking for passage or attention) opens doors to hidden courtyard cafes and artisan workshops.

By the time the sun begins to dip, painting the harbor in hues of molten gold and violet, you realize that Jamestown isn’t just a destination on a map; it is a masterclass in resilience and the enduring power of community.