Ghana has temporarily suspended citizenship applications for members of the African diaspora, saying the pause will allow authorities to review the system and make it more accessible and user friendly.
Since 2016, people able to prove African ancestry have been eligible for Ghanaian citizenship, a policy largely aimed at descendants of those affected by the transatlantic slave trade. More than 1,000 people have acquired Ghanaian nationality under the programme, including renowned African American musician Stevie Wonder.
In recent years, however, applicants have raised concerns about the complexity and cost of the process. Complaints have focused on the multiple stages involved, tight deadlines and high fees.
Dr Erieka Bennet, ambassador for the Diaspora African Forum, which supports people relocating to Ghana, told the BBC that many applicants struggled to meet the requirement to submit DNA evidence within a week of applying. She described the timeframe as “impossible” for most applicants and said some also questioned the reliability of DNA testing.
She added that the one-week deadline for submitting all additional documents was equally difficult to meet.
Cost has been another major concern. The initial application fee is $136 (£100), but shortlisted candidates must then pay an additional $2,280 (£1,700). Applicants are subsequently vetted and required to attend a one-day citizenship orientation before receiving their nationality at a ceremony presided over by President John Mahama.
Despite the suspension, Bennet said she was confident the issues would be addressed and that the application process would eventually resume. The government has said revised timelines and updated guidelines will be released “in due course,” though no specific date has been given.
The pause has created uncertainty for some prospective applicants, particularly those planning to relocate to Ghana or make long-term investments in the country.
Ghana’s outreach to Africans in the diaspora is rooted in its post-independence Pan-African ideals, championed by the country’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah. The initiative was reinvigorated in 2019 with the “Year of Return,” aimed at reconnecting people of African descent with the country.
Today, members of the diaspora invest in areas such as real estate, agriculture, technology and small businesses, often seeking citizenship to gain the right to own property, vote and access public services. Ghana is not alone in this approach, with countries including Benin and Sierra Leone also offering citizenship to people of African descent who can verify ancestral links.
