Ghana has announced a temporary suspension of citizenship applications from descendants of Africans living abroad, a decision that analysts say could affect the country’s efforts to promote itself as a Pan-African hub.
The government in Accra said on Sunday that the pause would allow authorities to make the citizenship application process more accessible, efficient, and user-friendly.
Analysts suggest the review could involve reassessing application costs and introducing a requirement for applicants to prove African ancestry.
Ghana has long positioned itself as a prime destination for the African diaspora, which it refers to as the country’s “17th region”, and has rolled out initiatives to attract descendants of enslaved Africans.
International relations analyst Ishmael Hlovor warned that imposing stricter ancestry requirements could narrow access for diaspora communities and harm Ghana’s image as a home for Africans abroad.
“While reviewing processes is understandable, the new demands on the African diaspora to prove ancestry risk narrowing access to Ghana,” Hlovor told AFP.
However, Erieka Bennet of the Diaspora African Forum NGO said the suspension appears to be procedural rather than permanent.
“The suspension is basically saying that they are relooking at the process. It does not say it’s not going to happen,” Bennet explained.
Authorities have stated that they will resume processing applications shortly, though no specific date has been provided.
Ghana began granting citizenship to members of the historical diaspora in 2016, issuing about 1,000 passports since then, including to international figures such as Stevie Wonder, Yandy Smith, and, most recently, US influencer IShowSpeed.
