West African Countries Offer Citizenship to Descendants of Enslaved Africans
Published: 5/Aug/2026
Source: Migration Policy Institute
by Kirstie Kwarteng
Highlights
West African governments are offering citizenship to descendants of enslaved Africans and other diaspora members as both a symbolic act of reparative justice and a practical strategy to attract investment, skills, and tourism.
- Benin, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, and Sierra Leone have launched special citizenship pathways for members of the historic African diaspora, granting at least 1,213 people citizenship since 2016.
- Program design varies widely: Benin has a fully codified law, while others rely on executive action and other approaches that can be less predictable.
- The policies have generated tensions and criticism around DNA testing requirements, high fees, and uneven implementation, as well as the prospect that returnees increase the cost of living.
Read further: https://www.migrationpolicy.org/journal/feature/west-africa-diaspora-citizenship