ECOWAS is speeding up the introduction of ECOVISA, a single visa designed to simplify the entry of foreign travelers into the West African region.

ECOWAS is speeding up the introduction of ECOVISA, a single visa designed to simplify the entry of foreign travelers into the West African region.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is pursuing its commitment to the free movement of people with a significant step forward in the implementation of ECOVISA.

Following in the footsteps of the Schengen visa, or the recent ambitions of Central Asian countries, this single visa project, designed to simplify the entry of travellers into the community, has taken another step forward with the holding of a technical workshop of experts on March 10 and 11, 2025 in Lagos, Nigeria.

A strategic workshop to fine-tune the ECOVISA digital platform

The workshop brought together IT specialists, immigration officials and visa management experts from ECOWAS member states. Its main objective was to evaluate the new ECOVISA digital portal, a central tool designed to ensure a smooth, secure and efficient visa application process for foreign travelers wishing to visit several countries in the region.

Discussions focused on optimizing the platform’s functionalities to ensure interoperability with existing national systems and guarantee efficient management of visa applications. Emphasis was placed on data security, ease of use of the portal and transparency of the process, in order to boost the confidence of users and the relevant authorities.

A lever for regional integration and economic growth

ECOVISA is part of a wider drive to facilitate mobility and strengthen economic integration in West Africa. By enabling travelers to obtain a common visa to move freely within its member states, ECOWAS hopes to stimulate trade, tourism and foreign investment in the region.

This initiative, based on close cooperation between member states, reflects the regional organization’s determination to modernize its administrative infrastructures and adopt innovative solutions to support the continent’s development. ECOVISA thus represents a decisive step towards a more connected, open and economically dynamic West Africa.

Which countries can travelers with ECOVISA visit?

Foreigners with ECOVISA can travel throughout ECOWAS, which currently comprises twelve member states:

• Benin
• Cape Verde
• Côte d’Ivoire
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Liberia
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Togo

ECOWAS initially had fifteen members. However, on January 29, 2025, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger officially left the organization to form their own alliance, the Alliance of Sahel States (ESA).