The high cost, complexity, and political inertia surrounding travel within the African continent were the central themes of the DW The 77 Percent Street Debate, hosted in the capital of Kenya, Nairobi. DW The 77 Percent brought together a diverse group of experts and African citizens who unanimously concluded that "travelling intra Africa is really cumbersome, not to mention expensive". Many Africans are now choosing to book trips "out of Africa, not in Africa," because it is 30 to 50% more expensive to travel within African countries than it is "to travel abroad". In one example shared on DW The 77 Percent, the flight costs from Oslo to Cape Town were the "same" or even cheaper than the flight from Nairobi to Cape Town.
The difficulty of intra-African travel was vividly illustrated by a friend of one panelist, who recounted traveling from Senegal to Equatorial Guinea. Although the direct distance suggests a four or five-hour flight, the journey took "20 plus hours" because they had to fly to Ethiopia, endure a 10-hour layover due to "no connecting flights available," and then take another seven to eight-hour flight to Equatorial Guinea. Diana, a travel content creator featured by DW The 77 Percent, rated the ease of internal travel at a mere four out of ten, citing the problem of "not available flights or connecting" and a lack of "free movement". A traveler from Liberia detailed a similar experience, taking "8, 9 hours" to get to Nairobi because there are no direct flights, and bookings are often restricted to certain days.
According to the experts on DW The 77 Percent, the root cause of this continental gridlock is multi-faceted, stemming partly from inherited "colonial" immigration laws that lead nations to "reciprocate" policies. This results in a "silo mentality," where countries are "thinking in silos instead of thinking like as the continent itself".
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Why is it so hard to travel within Africa?
A major economic barrier is the lack of liberalized African airspace. Aviation experts noted that taxes are prohibitive and can constitute up to 60% of the ticket price on some African flights. Unlike in the European Union, where borders were eliminated, Africa is comprised of "little, little blocks," meaning travelers pay separate taxes in every country they pass through, including departure tax, parking charges, and overflight charges. Captains explained that if the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) were fully implemented and taxes were standardized or scrapped, ticket prices could drop by as much as 40%, potentially injecting about $1.3 billion back into African economies.
Furthermore, the lack of trust and pervasive corruption at border crossings significantly complicates movement, as highlighted by multiple contributors to DW The 77 Percent. A Nigerian student shared that upon arrival in Kenya, an immigration officer singled her out because she was Nigerian, and she faced a longer visa application process than her colleagues from Uganda or Congo. Another panelist, traveling within the East African Community, noted that officials often demand cash payments for supposed fees and refuse digital payments, facilitating exploitation and corruption.
Despite the existence of policies like the African Union passport and the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, DW The 77 Percent participants agreed there is a severe gap between policy and implementation. Countries are "uncomfortable implementing it," fearing a loss of independence, while political tensions, such as the three-year closure of the border between Burundi and Rwanda, actively prevent cooperative agendas from moving forward. The overall environment fosters xenophobia, exemplified by tensions between Nigerians and South Africans or Kenyans and Tanzanians, with only four African nations currently offering visa-free access to all other African countries.
To address these challenges, suggestions raised on DW The 77 Percent included establishing a permanent, non-political body to ensure policy implementation, and focusing on education and media to build continental unity. As the discussion concluded, it was noted that Africans constitute only 2% of global international travelers. The participants stressed that a borderless Africa is only possible when nations achieve a "united Africa" built on trust and a shared vision.
