West African Nations Compete for Diaspora Citizenship Amid Calls for Regional Coordination

Benin, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone have each created citizenship programmes aimed at the descendants of Africans taken during the transatlantic slave trade, seeking to convert ancestral connections into tourism, investment and lasting ties. Benin even enlisted Hollywood director Spike Lee, who received citizenship and now serves as an ambassador for the scheme. Despite the symbolic appeal, the Migration Policy Institute reports that only 1,213 individuals have been granted citizenship through the four programmes from 2019 through 2026, and the lack of a central registry makes the true figure unclear.

Ghana’s “Year of Return” in 2019 demonstrated the economic upside by boosting visitor numbers, prompting the country to label its diaspora as a “17th region.” However, the four nations differ in eligibility criteria, fees and political rights, risking a fragmented market of competing citizenship offers. Analysts argue that a unified regional approach, possibly coordinated by ECOWAS, could streamline processes, enhance credibility and prevent governments from outbidding each other. The African Union’s emphasis on reparations for the slave trade adds further impetus for a coordinated strategy.