Libreville, Gabon — Global Citizen Solutions, a Portugal-based firm that helps clients obtain second passports, says African states are quietly expanding citizenship offers that let foreign investors naturalise faster than traditional routes and give access to a market of 1. 4 billion consumers.
The advisory group released a briefing this week as heads of government arrived at the African Union summit, a gathering meant to advance the bloc’s Agenda 2063 integration plan.
The document lists São Tomé and Príncipe, Botswana, Sierra Leone and Egypt among countries that have either launched or revised investment-linked naturalisation rules since 2024. Official statements quoted by the firm indicate the programmes vary: some demand direct donations to development funds, others require real-estate purchases or job-creating businesses. Egypt, for example, offers citizenship within months for a real-estate stake of at least USD 300,000, according to the same paper, while Sierra Leone caps the investment threshold at USD 100,000 for applicants who commit to manufacturing projects outside Freetown.
Global Citizen Solutions says the packages attract investors seeking “geopolitical diversification” at a time when traditional Caribbean citizenship schemes face tighter European visa rules.
The firm notes that an African passport can also ease intra — continental travel; African Union sources say 46 of 55 member states now allow visa-on-arrival or e-visa access for fellow Africans, up from 14 a decade ago. Government communiqués issued ahead of the summit make no direct mention of the new programmes, but regional officials confirmed that several delegations will hold side meetings on labour mobility and diaspora capital this weekend.
The topic is not on the official agenda, according to the AU’s public schedule. No aggregate figure on applications or revenue has been released. Further details on processing times, security checks and annual caps were not immediately available.
Officials expect summit sessions to continue through Saturday. Additional policy announcements are anticipated before delegates depart.
