Ghanaian minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has called for a balance between security and free movement across Africa’s borders, arguing that smarter, technology-driven border management is essential to unlocking the full benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speaking at the Youth Summit during the 2026 Africa Prosperity Dialogues in Accra, Mohammed-Mubarak said Africa stood at a decisive moment where continental integration must move “from policy to practice” if it is to deliver real economic gains for small businesses, women and young people.
“We meet at a time when the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area must move decisively from aspirations to impact, and from borders as barriers to borders as bridges for shared prosperity,” he said.
Addressing the summit from the perspective of internal security, migration governance and border management, the minister rejected the notion that security and free movement were competing goals.
“Without security, trade cannot flourish. And without orderly mobility, integration cannot succeed,” he said, stressing that free movement of people and goods should not come at the expense of national or regional safety.
More Read
The AfCFTA is Africa’s most ambitious economic integration project to date, bringing together 54 countries into a single market of more than 1.3 billion people. It is expected to boost intra-African trade, create millions of jobs and lift households out of poverty, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at its core.
However, Mohammed-Mubarak said persistent border frictions continue to undermine those objectives, particularly for SMEs engaged in cross-border trade.
“Too many small businesses, especially those led by women and young people, face delays, harassment, unclear procedures and fragmented enforcement at our borders,” he said. “These are not minor inconveniences. They weaken competitiveness and undermine the very goals of the AfCFTA.”
Using Ghana as an example, the minister said the country has 48 approved border crossing points but more than 250 unapproved routes that pose security risks, including human trafficking.
“You see the consequences on our streets, where children are trafficked into Accra and left to beg,” he said, warning that porous borders also heighten threats linked to terrorism, narcotics trafficking and cybercrime.
He said the solution lay in shifting from blanket controls to intelligence-led, risk-based border management. Ghana, he noted, has begun integrating advanced passenger information systems that allow authorities to identify travellers and seating details before flights arrive, a system the government plans to extend to land and sea borders.
“This is about targeting persons of interest, not treating every traveller as a suspect,” he said.
Mohammed-Mubarak also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation, including joint patrols, shared intelligence and one-stop border posts, to reduce delays and corruption while strengthening collective security.
He said Ghana has set up an inter-ministerial committee involving security, trade and border agencies to ease congestion and reduce frustration at border posts, but added that success depends on cooperation with neighbouring countries.
More Read
Last week, he said, Ghana’s president met with regional leaders to explore intelligence sharing, harmonised procedures and closer collaboration to make free movement within West Africa more effective.
Turning to non-tariff barriers, the minister said informal traders often face excessive documentation demands, bribery and arbitrary confiscation of goods, practices that disproportionately affect women and youth.
“These are barriers to economic inclusion,” he said, calling for better training of border officials, transparent procedures and effective grievance mechanisms.
He pointed to the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons as a useful model, noting that visa-free travel across West Africa has boosted trade, labour mobility and cultural exchange. However, he acknowledged persistent challenges, including uneven implementation, security concerns and weak border infrastructure.
“These lessons are clear,” he said. “Free movement must be matched with strong institutions, shared standards and trusted identity systems.”
Mohammed-Mubarak also questioned why initiatives such as the African passport have largely benefited political elites.
“Our citizens are the ones who truly need the African passport, not politicians who already travel easily,” he said, urging the African Union to prioritise documentation that enables ordinary Africans to move freely across the continent.
“A visa-free Africa must not be a blind Africa,” he said. “It must be smart, connected and accountable.”
Background to Africa Prosperity Dialogues
Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) is a high‑level continental platform organised by the Africa Prosperity Network to drive Africa’s economic integration and shared prosperity in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063. It brings together political leaders, business executives, civil society and innovators to turn dialogue into actionable policies, partnerships and bankable projects that unlock the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area and Africa’s single market. The event focuses on empowering SMEs, women and youth and tackling barriers to trade, investment and inclusion.
