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For many Africans, traveling across the continent remains a frustrating ordeal marked by costly flights, strict visa regimes, and limited connectivity. Artists, entrepreneurs, and ordinary travelers face immense barriers, like Kenyan DJ Coco Em, who was stopped from boarding a flight to Cape Verde despite having valid documents, simply for refusing to buy an unnecessary return ticket as she already had one. Despite initiatives like the African Union’s passport, visa-free access remains limited, with only a handful of countries fully open to African travelers. Direct flights are also rare, forcing travelers onto lengthy, illogical routes that can cost as much as a transcontinental journey. While projects such as the Single African Air Transport Market and creative efforts like Coco Em’s Pass Pass initiative aim to break these barriers, the dream of seamless intra-African travel is still far from reality.
The Guardian