Africa’s wealthiest businessman, Aliko Dangote, has spoken out against the cumbersome visa processes that stifle investment and growth on the continent, He revealed that he requires a least 35 visas on his Nigerian passport.
He spoke of the importance of a more efficient and harmonized travel system that fosters economic development.
Aliko Dangote and Rwandan President Paul Kagame engaged in a thought-provoking conversation, with Dangote decrying the lack of challenges in France that are endemic to Africa, and emphasizing the urgent need for a more seamless travel experience across the continent.
The Africa CEO Forum Annual Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, provided the platform for Aliko Dangote to share his thoughts on the challenges faced by investors traveling within Africa, sparking crucial discussions on the need for a more harmonized travel framework.
“I still complained to President Kagame. I told him that as an investor, I have to now apply for 35 different visas on my passport, and I told Mr. President, I really don’t have the time to go and be dropping my passports in embassies to get a visa,” he said.
“But you see, the most annoying thing is that yes, if you are treating everybody the same, then I can understand.”
Using the French passport as an example, Dangote said Patrick Pouyanne, chairman of Total Energies, does not need 35 visas on his French passport to gain access to African countries.
“You don’t need 35 visas on your French passport. This means you have a freer movement than myself in Africa,” he said.
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Speaking further on businesses within Africa, he said right now, “Our main job is to make sure the regional markets all work. Once they work, then we can now go to Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). But then, for AfCFTA also, we need to make sure that it works”.
“We cannot have a very promising continent and our intra-trade rate is less than 16 percent. Okay, so we Africans will have to do it. If we are waiting for foreigners to come and do it, both the development of Africa, it’s not going to happen,” he said.
He suggested that Africans are uniquely positioned to drive progress, a stressed the need for them to take bold action and assume leadership roles, which would, in turn, inspire confidence and attract support from international partners like Patrick, who are eager to contribute to the continent’s advancement.