Claim: "Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré has announced that all Africans can now travel to Burkina Faso without paying for a visa. This means the country is visa-free for anyone with an African passport."
Source: Liberian TV Network
Verdict: Misleading, President Traore waive fees on visa, but visa approval is remain mendatory.
Full Text: Last weekend, a Facebook page called Liberian TV Network posted information about a visa-free waiver for African passport holders to Burkina Faso.
The move, according to the Network, is based on President Ibrahim Traore's belief in pan-Africanism, thereby encouraging other counterparts to do the same as no African country can stand-alone. As of the time of this check, the post attracted 2.2K, 390 comments and 157 shares.
Burkina Faso's history spans from ancient hunter-gatherer settlements (14,000-5,000 BC) to modern independence.
The region was dominated by powerful kingdoms, especially the Mossi kingdoms (11th-15th centuries), which successfully resisted foreign invasions. France colonized the area in 1898, naming it Upper Volta despite local resistance. After gaining independence, the country was renamed Burkina Faso in 1984 under President Thomas Sankara, meaning "Land of Incorruptible People."
Since independence, the nation has faced ongoing challenges, including political instability, military coups, and efforts to establish democratic governance while addressing economic and security issues.
Verification: Captain Ibrahim Traoré, 36, became Burkina Faso's president in October 2022 after leading a coup.
A military officer with anti-jihadist and peacekeeping experience, he is known for his nationalist, pan-Africanist views and has shifted the country away from French influence toward Russia and regional allies Mali and Niger.
Key policies include reversing government salary increases, nationalizing gold mines, stopping unrefined gold exports to Europe, investing in agriculture and infrastructure, and strengthening military efforts against insurgencies.
He plans to remain president until at least 2029 under an extended transition plan. His leadership is characterized as both charismatic and authoritarian, popular among youth but involving crackdowns on dissent, and he has survived multiple coup attempts.
However,our research found that in September 2025, the government under his leadership approved a policy that waives visa fees for all African nationals. This means that citizens from any African country still must apply for a visa online through Burkina Faso's official portal and get their application approved, but they no longer have to pay the visa fee.
This policy aims to promote pan-African unity, facilitate the movement of people and goods, boost tourism, and improve Burkina Faso's visibility across the continent. The visa process remains, but the financial barrier has been removed for African visitors. This means that Visa fees are waived for all African nationals (free to apply and receive visas) and that the Visa application and approval process is still mandatory. Information can also be found here and here.
Diplomatic expert Kennedy Folon, when contacted, said even though the call is genuine for Africa but African visitors will still need to complete an online application for approval.
Folon added that Burkina Faso now joins countries like Ghana, Rwanda, and Kenya, which have eased travel restrictions for Africans. Citizens of West African states already enjoy visa-free entry.
"I think this is a good move for the regional bloc, which I think will promote trade."
Conclusion: The president of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré, has not issued a visa-free policy for all Africans in the sense of removing visa requirements altogether, instead he waive the payment on visa for all Africa passport holders. Which implies that an African national must apply for an online visa and get approval.
