Chad will abolish entry visa requirements for all African nationals from Jan. 1, 2027, President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno said, joining a growing number of African countries seeking to ease cross-border travel and strengthen regional integration.
Déby announced the decision during the African Water Forum in the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, saying the measure would allow citizens of all African countries to enter Chad without a visa.
“Chad, the land of Toumaï, the cradle of humanity, is opening its borders and eliminating entry visas for all Africans, starting January 1, 2027,” Déby said.
The announcement follows a similar decision by the Republic of the Congo, which has also pledged to waive visa requirements for African nationals from the same date.
Chad joins a small but growing group of African countries that have removed or significantly relaxed visa restrictions for fellow Africans, including Rwanda, Benin, The Gambia, Seychelles, Ghana, Kenya and Togo.
The move aligns with broader efforts to promote regional integration under the African Union’s Free Movement of Persons Protocol, adopted in 2018 to facilitate travel, trade and labour mobility across the continent. However, implementation has been slow, with many member states yet to ratify the protocol.
Visa requirements remain one of the main obstacles to intra-African travel, despite the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which aims to deepen economic integration among African countries.
Déby has previously called for greater African self-reliance and criticized travel restrictions imposed on African countries by Western governments. His latest announcement underscores Chad’s support for closer continental cooperation and freer movement of people across Africa.
