Across Africa, travellers face a paperwork of inconsistent visa rules and sluggish manual approvals. These bureaucratic hurdles are more than an inconvenience; they are a tax on mobility, innovation, and economic growth.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has consistently highlighted challenges to Africa’s aviation potential caused by outdated border systems. Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety, and Security, aptly put it as, “Digital identity and seamless facilitation are no longer optional — they are essential.”
IATA’s recently issued report emphasises the need for African countries to urgently modernise border controls with technologies like electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) systems and interoperable digital ID infrastructure, without which they risk missing out on the projected $80 billion boost from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) over the next decade.
Tobi Adesanya, an air travel consultant, recalls a familiar scene at many African airports, where passengers weary from long flights slowly inch through immigration queues, clutching paper forms.
“It’s a stark contrast to the streamlined, digital systems I’ve seen in other parts of the world, where biometric scans and e-visa kiosks have made border crossings quick and seamless,” he tells Techpoint Africa.
Despite Africa’s strides in innovation and tech, its airports often feel stuck in the past — slow, paper-based, and inefficient. And the cost of this lag isn’t just inconvenience; it’s billions lost in economic potential.
With a focus on Kenya, it is expected that the implementation of its eTA system has the potential to significantly enhance the country’s appeal as a destination for both leisure and business travel as the system continues to be refined. It is expected that the country’s competitiveness as a hub for both passenger and cargo activity can be strengthened with a comprehensive strategy for the digitalisation of facilitation processes.
According to Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, “Kenya’s aviation sector is a vital economic driver, contributing $3.3 billion to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supporting 460,000 jobs.”
Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana: Digital experiment with varying results
As a country with an ambition to become a West African hub, Nigeria, one of the few countries that have signed the AfCFTA, has announced plans to digitise its visa processing system, but the rollout remains limited to major entry points. In light of this, there are still airports in Nigeria that do not have integrated biometric checks or real-time travel authorisation platforms.
Anthony Omoh, Managing Editor of Nigerian Flightdeck, in a chat with Techpoint Africa, said many African countries have challenges, especially based on the systems where they operate. Some of them are closed; some of them are open because of their different policies.
“The truth is that these border control systems are not as easy as they are because of the lack of things like technology, even finance. Most African countries face porous borders and limited connectivity.
“In Africa, a lot of lip service is being paid to things like this. To get digital border control systems, a lot of challenges exist, including infrastructure deficit and connectivity, so it makes it difficult. Most borders could lack electricity, Internet access, and modern ICT infrastructure. It is important to note that these things, as they stand, are not very easy to do, especially if you don’t have the right things in place,” Omoh said.
Rwanda, on the other hand, has come to lean heavily into digital diplomacy. The country’s visa-entry agreements with several African and Gulf countries are backed by a seamless e-gate system at Kigali International Airport. Like Rwanda, Ghana has piloted a biometric border system that connects with its national ID database, significantly speeding up clearance for returning citizens and regional visitors.
While Rwanda’s and Ghana’s adoption of digital diplomacy and biometric border systems marks significant progress in modernising border management, these advancements also present challenges.
The reliance on digital infrastructure requires substantial investment, ongoing maintenance, and skilled personnel, which can strain national resources. Data privacy concerns and cybersecurity are challenging, not to mention the unequal access to digital tools and connectivity across different regions.
Data, devices, and dead zones
IATA’s flagship One ID initiative, which promotes biometric-enabled, paperless travel, has gained traction globally. But adoption in Africa remains patchy. Only a handful of airports on the continent are currently equipped to handle end-to-end biometric travel.
Data protection is another sticking point. IATA recommends that African governments adopt regionally harmonised privacy laws to ensure traveller data is secure and portable across borders. It is evident that without this trust foundation, efforts to scale digital ID systems across the continent may face institutional bottlenecks.
Walsh stresses that Africa’s future lies in frictionless, secure travel. Governments must move beyond pilot programmes, saying it is time to deliver integrated, digital ecosystems that enable the continent’s airlines and its people to thrive.
Last line
Seamless air travel isn’t just about convenience. It is a foundational enabler of trade, tourism, and regional integration. Africa’s skies are opening, but without matching ambition on the ground, in the form of smart borders, digital visas, and trusted identity systems, the continent will continue to play catch-up.
The path forward is clear, as Adesanya puts it: “If we can trade across borders with a QR code, we should be able to fly across them just as easily.”
