Ghana's Year of Return wants people of African descent to return Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo/Facebook
The Government of Ghana announced on Sunday, February 1, 2026, that it is pausing the citizenship application process for members of the African diaspora who seek nationality through ancestral ties. The move, officials say, is intended to revamp the system to make it more accessible, efficient and user-friendly following years of complaints from applicants and diaspora organisations.
The initiative, launched in 2016 to allow descendants of Africans displaced by the transatlantic slave trade to apply for Ghanaian citizenship, has been widely celebrated as a cornerstone of the country’s Pan-African outreach, particularly under the Year of Return and Beyond the Return campaigns. More than 1,000 people, including American icons like singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder and international personalities such as influencer IShowSpeed, have successfully gained citizenship under the programme.
However, applicants and diaspora advocates have increasingly criticised the pathway for ** cumbersome requirements, high costs and tight deadlines**. Key concerns have included an obligation to provide DNA evidence within extremely short timeframes, as well as substantial additional fees beyond the initial application payment. Many applicants overseas found the documentation demands difficult to meet, and some questioned the reliability and fairness of DNA testing as a proof of ancestral link.
In announcing the suspension, Ghana’s Ministry of the Interior, in coordination with the Office of Diaspora Affairs at the Presidency, emphasised the temporary and administrative nature of the decision: the government has not abolished the programme but intends to review and improve the framework before reopening submissions. No specific date has been set for when applications might resume.
Officials clarified that the pause affects only this diaspora-focused citizenship pathway — other routes to citizenship, including by birth, descent through Ghanaian parents, standard naturalisation and dual citizenship registration, remain unaffected. Moreover, the Right of Abode, which allows individuals of African descent indefinite residence and work rights in Ghana, continues to be processed.
Critics of the suspension warn that tightening requirements or adding conditions such as ancestral proof could undermine Ghana’s image as a welcoming homeland for people of African descent. International relations analysts said reintroducing a more restrictive process could risk narrowing access and dampening the symbolic appeal of Ghana as the continent’s hub for the diaspora.
Supporters of the reform argue that a more streamlined system could ensure greater transparency, fairness and long-term sustainability, particularly as demand has grown significantly in recent years. They point to the need to balance administrative capacity with the programme’s aim of strengthening ties between Ghana and the global African community.
The temporary halting of applications comes at a time when Ghana has been actively promoting economic and cultural engagement with Africans abroad, who invest in sectors such as real estate, agriculture, technology and small business. For many potential applicants, citizenship not only represents symbolic reconnection but also practical benefits such as property rights, voting rights and access to services
