All across Africa, travelers face inconsistent visa rules and slower manual approval documents. These bureaucratic hurdles are more than inconvenient. They are taxes on mobility, innovation and economic growth.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) consistently highlights the challenges to the potential of aviation in Africa caused by an outdated border system. Nick Careen, senior vice president of operations, safety and security at IATA, aptly states, “Digital identity and seamless facilitation are no longer an option. They are essential.”
IATA's recently published report highlights the need for African countries to urgently modernize border controls with technologies such as electronic travel approval (ETA) systems and interoperable digital identity infrastructure, without which there is a risk of missing out on a $80 billion increase from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) over the next decade.
Air travel consultant Tobi Adesanya recalls scenes familiar to many African airports. There, from a long flight, slowly tires the procession of immigrants, clutching the paper shape.
“This is in stark contrast to the streamlined digital systems we've seen in other parts of the world. Biometric scans and E-Visa kiosks made the border intersections quick and seamless,” he told TechPoint Africa.
Despite Africa's advances in innovation and technology, its airports often feel stuck in the past – slow, paper-based, inefficient. And this delayed cost is not just an inconvenience. Billions of people lost due to economic potential.
Focusing on Kenya, implementation of ETA systems is expected to significantly enhance the country's appeal as a destination for both leisure and business travel, as the system continues to become sophisticated. The country's competitiveness as a hub for both passenger and cargo activities is expected to be strengthened with a comprehensive strategy for digitalising the facilitation process.
According to Willie Walsh, IATA Executive Director, “The Kenya aviation sector is a key economic driver, donating $3.3 billion to GDP and supporting 460,000 jobs.”
Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda: Digital experiments with various results
Nigeria, one of the few countries to sign the AFCFTA, has announced plans to digitalize its visa processing system as a country with ambitions to become a hub for West Africa, but its deployment remains limited to major entry points. In light of this, Nigeria still has airports that do not have integrated biometric checks or real-time travel authorization platforms.
Anthony Omoh, editor of Nigeria's Flightdeck, said in a chat with TechPoint Africa that many African countries have challenges, particularly based on the systems they operate. Some of them are closed. Some of them are open for different policies.
“The truth is that these border control systems are not easy because there is a lack of technology and finance, and most African countries face porous boundaries and limited connections.
“In Africa, there are a lot of lip services paid for things like this. With many challenges to obtaining a digital border control system, such as infrastructure deficits and connectivity, most borders lack electricity, internet access and modern ICT infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Rwanda has leaned heavily towards digital diplomacy. The national visa entry agreements with several African and Gulf countries are supported by the seamless electronic gate system at Kigali International Airport. Like Rwanda, Ghana has operated a biometric border system connected to the National ID database, significantly faster clearance for citizens and local visitors to return.
The adoption of digital diplomacy and biometric border systems in Rwanda and Ghana has shown significant advances in modernizing border management, but these advances also present challenges.
Reliance on digital infrastructure requires significant investments, continuous maintenance and skilled personnel that can put a strain on national resources. Data privacy concerns and cybersecurity are challenging, not to mention unequal access and connectivity to digital tools in different regions.
Data, devices, and dead zones
Iata's Flagship One ID initiative is gaining global attention, promoting biometrically-enabled Paperless Travel. However, adoption in Africa remains patchy. Currently, only a handful of airports on the continent are equipped to handle end-to-end biometric travel.
Data protection is another sticking point. The IATA recommends that African governments adopt regionally harmonized privacy laws to ensure traveler data is safe and portable across borders. Without this Trust Foundation, it is clear that efforts to expand digital identity systems across the continent could face institutional bottlenecks.
Walsh emphasizes that Africa's future lies in frictionless, safe travel. Governments must move beyond pilot programs, saying it's time to provide an integrated digital ecosystem that will allow airlines and their people on the continent to flourish.
The last line
Seamless air travel is more than just convenience. This is a fundamental enabler of trade, tourism and regional integration. The African skies are open, but the continent continues to catch up in the form of smart borders, digital visas and trustworthy identity systems, without matching terrestrial ambitions.
As Adesanya states, the path to advance is clear. “If you can trade across borders with QR codes, you should be able to easily fly them.”
