Ghana’s Cabinet has approved three visa waiver agreements with Maldives, Zambia, and Antigua and Barbuda, clearing the path for Parliament to ratify the deals and enable visa-free travel between the countries.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, disclosed the decision in a Facebook post on April 22, 2026. He noted that the agreements, which were signed during separate diplomatic engagements, will come into force once they receive parliamentary approval.
The agreements cover holders of ordinary, service, and diplomatic passports from all four countries, allowing visa-free stays of up to 30 days.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stated that Parliament is expected to ratify the agreements in due course, after which they will take full legal effect.
He explained that the arrangement with the Maldives dates back to March 2023, when both countries signed a mutual visa exemption pact. At the time, the Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated its readiness to implement the agreement and was awaiting Ghana’s response.
The recent Cabinet approval, he noted, represents Ghana’s formal step toward activating the agreement.
The Zambia deal followed President John Dramani Mahama’s three-day state visit to Lusaka in February 2026, during which Mr Ablakwa announced the agreement to journalists. A Memorandum of Understanding covering all passport categories was signed.
The agreement with Antigua and Barbuda was concluded on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2025.
In his post, Mr Ablakwa stated, “We shall keep negotiating more Visa Waiver Agreements as we add greater value to the Ghanaian Passport,” adding that steps would also be taken to tighten security in the passport acquisition process.
Available figures indicate that as of February 2026, Ghana had concluded 15 visa waiver arrangements since President Mahama returned to office, with the three pending agreements forming part of that total.
